The Delta school district remains committed to providing the best learning environments for students, despite the job action by teachers.

Superintendent Dianne Turner recently updated parents on what teachers in Delta and throughout the province are doing regarding job action.

The first phase of B.C. Teachers' Federation job action will see teachers not perform administrative tasks such as filling out forms, collecting data, meeting with principals, supervising playgrounds or writing report cards.

In an open letter as the job action was about to begin this week, Turner noted student safety remains a top priority. Principals and administrative staff will continue to perform many supervision duties to ensure students are safe and adequately supervised, she said, noting it would be helpful if parents picked up and dropped off children as close as possible to the beginning and end of the school day.

Delta Teachers' Association president Paul Steer said the job action would not affect students.

In a letter to the Optimist, he said teachers would continue to demonstrate their genuine commitment to students, their families and the community as a whole by focusing on the learning needs of students and the extra-curricular activities that students and teachers enjoy.

The teachers' collective agreement expired in June, but the teachers' federation says there's been no progress in bargaining.

Turner said the district would continue to inform parents of any changes or developments in the job action status, particularly as it relates to the potential impact on students, through school newsletters and websites as well as on the district website at www.deltasd.bc.ca.

sgyarmati@delta-optimist.com