Senior students in Surrey high schools will get a chance to take online classes next school year, in the board's latest strategy to free up classroom space.

"Hybrid learning is a blend of face-to-face and online learning for students and in our context, for kids in the senior Grades 10, 11 and 12," explained Perry Smith, assistant superintendent for Guildford-area schools.

Exploring hybrid learning is motivated by a "capital crunch" trustee Bob Holmes says the district is facing, as student enrolment outpaces available school space. 

While the permanent implementation of hybrid classes would be new, students got a taste for the model during the pandemic years when schools were running classes virtually. As well, teachers became accustomed to the model and likely have learned lessons to improve on this time around, district staff suggested.

"We identified many benefits of hybrid learning in our secondary schools," Smith said, pointing to research on the topic to support the claim.

The superintendent explained that students will have a choice of going home for their online blocks, staying at school in shared spaces or being out in the community, for example, at a library. For those students who do not have access to internet services or personal electronic devices, technology will be provided so the opportunity is more inclusive, Smith said.

He added that the district would receive a grant to make this possible.

"While there is a side benefit for students to get ready for the 21st century, as previous speakers have mentioned, the reality is that this was driven because we have such a shortage of space," chair Gary Tymoschuk said.

The issue of overcrowding in Surrey Schools can be seen at nearly every school, with trustee Laurie Larsen noting Walnut Road Elementary, that is set to receive a prefabricated module.

"They have had one playground for 800 students because the other playground has been cordoned off, they have no greenspace, they have no adequate parking for parents, visitors or for staff. Staff are double parking so they all have to know which teacher is in front of them so they can let them know when they have to leave," Larsen said.

The trustee added that prefabs do not provide everything.

"We appreciate the modulars, I don鈥檛 want to say that we don鈥檛 but the modulars do only give the classroom," Larsen said.

"They don鈥檛 give the gym space, they don鈥檛 give any extra outdoor space, they don鈥檛 give any library space and especially for the gym so in that school, they have to have three assemblies for every event.. because the gym is too small and the occupancy is just over 300 people."

Walnut Road also has nine portables on school site and with the addition of the modulars, whether those portables will remain on site is still unknown. According to the board, affording to relocate the portables may be a challenge.

Staff recommended for the board to approve the implementation of up to three senior level courses in a hybrid learning model at secondary schools as a trial for next school year, available on an optional basis.

The board unanimously passed the motion.