'Significantly' more students enrol in Yukon's virtual school this year

Yukon's virtual school program says "significantly" more families are choosing at-home schooling this year due to COVID-19.

"Quite an influx in interest," said Edward Frison, team leader at Aurora Virtual School. "It's been quite busy."

Aurora Virtual School is Yukon's publicly funded, distance-learning program, where families can get help from teachers online.

Teacher Reid Levac said he worked with around 25 families last year. But that number has almost doubled.

"There has been a rapid, dramatic increase in the amount of families who are choosing, at least temporarily, to keep their children at home amidst the pandemic," said Levac, who is the kindergarten to Grade 7 liaison teacher at Aurora Virtual School.

Frison says they are still processing registrations, but have counted more than 120 students so far. 

Families "are worried about returning to school," he said.

"There are families that have immune issues in their home ... so they're not prepared to send their kids into the traditional brick-and-mortar school.

Frison said there's also slightly more families choosing traditional home-schooling this year, which does not involve online teachers.

Aurora Virtual School has three other teaching staff, plus the team lead. The school started in 2013, and Frison said enrolment has been growing every year since.

The Department of Education says enrolment numbers for each school, including Aurora Virtual School, are finalized by the end of September each year.

A spokesperson did not say whether Aurora Virtual School would receive more staffing this year, but said the department "adjust[s] staffing allocations as needs change."