Saskatchewan鈥檚 27 school divisions have plans in place for the safe return of students and staff to the classroom in September.
鈥淥ur guiding principle continues to be ensuring schools are a safe place for students and staff,鈥� Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant said.聽 鈥淭hese plans and eight areas of focus will allow school communities to have the guidance and appropriate time to implement the required safety measures.鈥�
Saskatchewan school divisions had their draft plans reviewed by Saskatchewan Education鈥檚 Response Planning Team (RPT), in order to ensure that they adhere to the Primary and Secondary Institution Guidelines, developed by the RPT in consultation with Saskatchewan鈥檚 Chief Medical Health Officer.
All school division plans have incorporated eight safe components that include:
1.听听听听听 Safe Attendance
To allow for all members of our school communities to attend classes safely, self-screening measures will be implemented, including:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Parents and caregivers being asked to monitor their children for any signs or symptoms of illness.聽 If any symptoms are present, the student is to remain home.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� For those who are unsure if they or a student present symptoms or may need to be tested for COVID-19, should refer to the Saskatchewan COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Dedicated quarantine area in every school where individuals exhibiting symptoms will properly isolate from the rest of the school until a parent or caregiver can safely pick them up.
2.听听听听听 Safe Transportation
The ministry has also developed the following transportation protocols to ensure students are coming to and from school safely, these include:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Assigned seating for students and a record of this seating plan on school buses.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Students who live in the same household will be seated together.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Where possible, the ministry is encouraging parents to transport their own children to and from school.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Cleaning and sanitation of buses or other vehicles used to transport students is required between each run.
3.听听听听听 Safe Access
Students will be able to safely access and move throughout school facilities through the implementation of:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Dedicated entrance and exit doors.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Staggered recess, lunch, and other class transition times to allow for additional space.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Controlled flow of students and staff in common school areas, incorporating the use of directional signage and floor markings.
4.听听听听听 Safe Facilities
Increased sanitation measures in school facilities and the promotion of proper hygiene practices will be implemented.聽 This includes:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Increased availability of hand sanitizer wherever possible.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Custodial staff will provide consistent sanitation of school facilities.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Maintain hygiene of all frequently-touched surfaces and objects such as toys and classroom equipment.
5.听听听听听 Safe Classrooms
Measures are to be implemented to reduce risk of transmission in the classroom, including:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Wherever possible, limiting physical contact such as hugs and handholding, as well as encouraging the use of alternative greetings such as 鈥渁ir high fives鈥�.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Utilizing outdoor spaces for learning when possible.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Clear protocols for bringing supplementary school materials such as backpacks and school supplies in and out of schools.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Classroom configuration to minimize contact.
6.听听听听听 Safe Supports
Considerations have been taken to safely support the learning needs of all students.聽 Local health officials will be providing support to divisions for the implementation of these measures, including:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Personal interactions with intensive needs/immune-compromised students鈥� conditions will be in place to allow for the provision of supports within a safe and secure environment, which may include in-school setting or other appropriate spaces for the delivery of education.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Medically fragile students will have supports in place to address their educational needs.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� School divisions will work with their local medical health officer to address the unique needs of immunocompromised students, to prepare for the ongoing safety of students and staff in proactive and responsive measures, and will have alternative learning opportunities in place for students who are unable to attend school for medical reasons.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� School divisions will communicate regarding these supports directly with their local school communities.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� The Ministry of Education will continue to support mental wellness through initiatives such as our work with Kids Help Phone to promote professional counselling services, which are available 24 hours a day.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� To facilitate constant communication between school divisions and local health officers as we move through the school year, weekly briefs will occur between the education sector and health officials to bolster monitoring and access to local context and needs.
7.听听听听听 Safe Activities
To ensure adequate safety measures are taken, schools will adapt group activities to reduce physical contact, including:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Established protocols for the reduced use of shared materials and classroom supplies.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Identifying alternatives to in-person assemblies, such as virtual assemblies.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Participation in extra-curricular activities will be dependent on the most current guidelines as provided by Saskatchewan鈥檚 Chief Medical Health Officer.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Extra-curricular activities such as indoor sports are allowed as announced in the second part of Phase 4 of Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.
8.听听听听听 Safe Alternatives
To ensure preparedness, there are four scenarios that may be activated regionally or provincially based on the advice of our Chief Medical Health Officer, they include:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Level 1: Return to school, as close to normal as possible, with additional health measures and precautions.聽 This is the scenario we are planning for come September 1.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Level 2: Mask usage as determined by the Chief Medical Health Officer.聽 These masks are being purchased centrally by the ministry of education and distributed to school divisions.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Level 3: In the event it becomes necessary, school capacity will be reduced.聽 This may include establishing cohorts and hybrid learning models as considerations.
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅� Level 4: Implementing learning continuity plans, which means transitioning to mandatory remote learning.
Divisions are asked to share their plan with the families, teachers and school staff they support.聽 As the situation with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan is fluid, plans may be updated and adjusted as needed.
The school year is set to start as early as September 1, based on local school division calendars.
