Across the province school districts are expected to comply with guidelines laid out by the Ministry of Education and BC Centre for Disease Control. Coast Reporter spoke with School District No. 46 (SD46) superintendent Patrick Bocking about how those rules will apply on the Sunshine Coast.
Orientation week
Staff will be receiving health and safety training on Sept. 8 and 9 during a provincially-mandated orientation week. Students will be heading back Thursday and Friday, with details about those days expected to be distributed to parents on Aug. 28.
Transportation
The district encourages parents to keep their children off school buses if possible to maintain physical distancing. “[Any] courtesy riders within the walk zone are expected to walk,” said Bocking, who called the expectation a “stricter interpretation” of the district’s bus transportation regulation.
High school students riding buses are expected to wear masks and strategies are in place for loading and seating children.
Learning groups
At elementary schools up to 60 children and staff can work together in a learning group. Children in a group would be free to interact in playgrounds and other areas.
Learning groups will have a maximum of 120 students at the high school level to allow students to rotate between classrooms and enrol in elective courses.
Staff and students in the learning groups will still be asked to keep their distance. “We will push desks to the far edges and take out furniture we don’t need and spread people out as much as we can,” said Bocking.
Class size
While the BC Teachers Federation (BCTF) has called for smaller class sizes, Bocking said class sizes will not change and are based on contractual and legislative obligations.
Students will be taught in regular classroom settings.
Outdoor learning
The school district will be encouraging outdoor learning. “We have made it easier,” said Bocking.
For example, permission forms for “walking fieldtrips” have been streamlined and training is being offered to teachers, such as classroom management, to teach effectively outside.
Masks
SD46 has purchased 7,000 masks for students and staff to comply with public health requirements that masks be worn in high-traffic areas and where physical distancing isn’t possible at middle and high schools.
Under provincial guidelines, each student and staff member will receive two masks when they return to school.
Students aren’t required to wear masks in classrooms and staff can choose whether to wear a mask while interacting in their learning group, according to the provincial back-to-school plan.
Masks are not mandatory for elementary school students and exceptions will be made for people who can’t wear masks for medical reasons.
Symptoms
People with symptoms are expected to be assessed by a medical professional and will be asked to stay home, however students and staff can still attend if someone in their household has symptoms.
If COVID-19 symptoms develop at school, protocols are in place that include school authorities “immediately” informing public health of a potential case, according to the back-to-school plan.
If a COVID-19 case is confirmed, parents will be notified if their child has been in contact and they would be required to self-isolate.
If students must self-isolate, learning materials will be provided.
In terms of communication, Bocking said the school district’s default will be to communicate “everything that we can.”
More information about the school district’s September restart plan can be found at www.sd46.bc.ca.
