Parents concerned about sending their children back to school in September now have a better idea of what both Moose Jaw school divisions plan to do to keep kids safe.
Prairie South School Division (PSSD) and Holy Trinity Roman Catholic School Division — along with the other 25 school divisions in Saskatchewan — recently released their back-to-school plans.
School divisions were required to develop detailed plans that meet provincial guidelines and the eight components for a safe return to school. Those eight components include safe attendance, safe transportation, safe access, safe buildings, safe classrooms, safe supports, safe activities and safe alternatives.
The full plans for PSSD and Holy Trinity can be found on their respective websites. Below is a general summary for each division.
Prairie South School Division
Prairie South has 18 headings in its contingency plan for the 2020-21 school year, with areas such as teaching and learning, hygiene, limiting physical contact, extracurricular activities, before and after school programming, cleaning guidelines, and mental health and social-emotional supports.
All schools are to promote proper hand hygiene practices, which include using soap and water or hand sanitizer. Schools will be expected to post signs and leave washroom doors open to reduce high-touch situations. Soap and hand sanitizer stations will be placed near entrances, while disinfectant wipes will be used to wipe down surfaces regularly.
While general use hand sanitizers will be available, students and staff will be encouraged to bring their own, while teachers will supervise how much liquid young children use. Schools will be expected to provide sanitizer and wipes starting on Dec. 1, the document said. Schools will schedule handwashing breaks five times per day for as long as is needed — all year perhaps.
Minimizing physical contact instead of physical distancing will be the goal for younger children since that is more practical, the document said. Educators will teach young kids about being “two-arm lengths apart,” avoiding hugs or handshakes and encouraging “air (high-)fives” and waving.
Other practices include staggering times for recesses, lunches, snacks, class transition times, and entry into classes and the building. Teachers should also do as much outdoors as possible, including regular lessons and gym time, even into the winter.
“Young children can be harmed by too much emphasis or regimentation on the virus well as being chastised for not physical distance,” the document continued. “Be cautious about the language used and how children are redirected positively and reminded of good hand hygiene, covering their nose and mouth when coughing (and) keeping their hands to themselves as much as possible.”
Educators should make the teaching about physical distancing the first lesson of the year and repeat that instruction as necessary. Kids could be encouraged to bring a picture of an object for Show and Tell, while they should bring bottled water to school.
“Except when in close contact with a sick student, masks and eye protection are not required, beyond those used by staff as part of their regular precautions for hazards normally encountered in the workplace,” the document added. “They should only be used when all other controls have been fully explored.”
Holy Trinity Roman Catholic School Division
Holy Trinity’s plan is similar to Prairie South’s plan, as one would expect. However, the Catholic division’s plan uses a question-and-answer format to address concerns people might have.
Some notable answers include Vanier Collegiate will implement a block schedule to address students and teachers staying in the same room; all field trips and international travel are cancelled; and temperature checks and face masks will not be required.
“As Holy Trinity plans for the future — re-opening our schools and offices and determining what our new workplace needs will be — one thing remains crystal clear to us. We will continue to prioritize the safety of our students, employees, families and communities,” Sean Chase, director of education, said in the report.
“That may mean being more cautious than the guidance of a health authority or government. We have a senior and seasoned team working on our return to school plan to ensure that when we do so, it is done intelligently and with the health and well-being of our people as the foundation of our decision making.”
The document’s overarching themes include education will continue and learning will be mandatory; teachers will teach — and be responsible for — the curriculum; students will be required to participate; the division will work with families who decline to send their children to school; and the division will help ensure a smooth return.
Some lessons Holy Trinity learned from March to June that helped it refine its reopening plan include addressing technological learning curves through a supportive, patient and planned approach; honouring the division’s mission, vision and guiding principles; high-quality learning — often outside the classroom — during the suspension of in-person classes is possible; and collaboration and adaptability will be important to address health and safety guidelines.
Also contained in the document are guidelines for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten education, administrative procedures about working from home, and floor plans for each school building that could help address spacing.
