EAST CENTRAL — The North East School Division (NESD) will shift from requiring that all students, staff and visitors wear masks in school division facilities and buses to recommending it.
This comes after the province announced that public health orders requiring masking in indoor public spaces will remain in effect until the end of February.
“The high impact strategy is to stay home if you have symptoms, if you’re not feeling well,” said Don Rempel, director of education for the NESD. “We look forward to a time when we don’t have to worry about COVID quite so much, but we’re not there yet.”
Beginning Feb. 28, the NESD Safe Schools Planning Document outlines that the NESD will promote a “mask-friendly environment” in response to the on-going pandemic and recommends continued mask use for as long as individuals feel it is necessary, based on their own personal risk factors.
It is recommended that all students, staff and visitors wear masks in common spaces such as hallways, washrooms, lunchrooms, libraries, and school buses.
All visitors must sign in when entering the school. A welcome station with hand sanitizer and masks will be visible in the main school entry.
Rempel said the division will continue to be making masks available for as long as public health recommends that they be used.
“We’re looking forward to reengaging with parents in-person,” Rempel said. “There have been a few waves where we’ve had limitations on gatherings or having other adults in our buildings but we’re looking forward to moving forward to a more normal stance.”
The NESD is reminding staff and students to continue to complete a daily personal screening COVID-19 check before school to ensure they are feeling well. Individuals who display even the slightest symptom of COVID-19 are asked to remain at home. Self-tests will continue to be available at NESD schools for voluntary use. Those between the ages of 12 and 17 years are now eligible to get their booster shots for COVID-19.
The requirement that was implemented Dec. 6 for division staff to be vaccinated or regularly tested is also being dropped.
Cleaning and disinfection of buses and fleet vehicles will remain in place and be standard practice. A school-wide plan for enhanced cleaning and disinfection will continue. Hand washing facilities will continue to be operational with hot and cold running water and be appropriately stocked with soap and paper towel.
Rempel said the enhanced cleaning protocols are expected to remain in place for the duration of the school year.
“We have extra caretaking staff in place to manage that as well.”
Regular activities that may resume include sports and fitness, dance, drama, band, choir, other extra-curricular activities as well as field trips and nutrition programs.
There are no guidelines for physical distancing for students or staff, however it is prudent to maintain as much physical distancing as possible.
For contingency planning, teachers remain required to be prepared to move to blended or full-time remote delivery using Google Classroom in Grades K to 4 and Moodle courses in Grades 5 to 12.
Local decisions can be made around staggered breaks, scheduling, and recess supervision.
