School guidelines include classroom modifications, strict hygiene and sanitization

The hoarding of toilet paper may be over, but be prepared for it to now start with hand sanitizer.

It is going to be one of the major items kids and staff will need when they return to classrooms in September.

It is just one of the major requirements of guidelines put forward by the provincial government and its education response planning team.

But masks and personal protective gear is not recommended.

Instead, it includes that schools look at modifying procedures for entering the building to support physical distancing. That could mean strategies like staggered entry into classes and schools, separate group entrances, limiting pickups and drop offs to one parent/guardian.

It is also suggested that recess/snack and lunch and class transition times be staggered.

The guidelines also include making modifications to all shared spaces, including boot rooms, hallways, waiting areas, etc.

School divisions will also need to provide signage to promote physical distancing, hand-washing and perhaps marking to limit what is described as cross-exposure.

“As we return to normal activities within our daily lives, we want to ensure that our school communities have time to prepare for new health and safety requirements,” Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant said. “These guidelines reinforce minimizing physical contact while maintaining a school atmosphere that’s as normal and comfortable as possible.”

Young children

The guidelines acknowledge that for younger children, maintaining physical distance is less practical and the focus should be on minimizing physical contact instead.

It states that staff, parents and students must encourage and practice preventative measures, such as limiting physical contact, throughout the school day (i.e. during instruction, recess, nutrition programs, extra-curricular) and avoiding close greetings (i.e. hugs, handshakes).

“Help younger children learn about physical distancing and less physical contact by creating games that include basic principles such as ‘two-arm lengths apart’ and avoid close greetings like hugs or handshakes. Encourage physically distant greetings such as ‘air fives’ and waves”, the guidelines state.

Transportation

School busing will go ahead as planned but the guidelines recommend that students should be assigned seats and a record of this seating plan should be kept in order to assist with contact tracing in the case of a student being confirmed with a case of COVID-19.

Students who live in the same household should be seated together and the school bus companies may want to consider partitions around the driver.

The guidelines state school busing should not be used for field trips and where possible parents should be asked to transport their own children.

The buses have to be sanitized between each use.

COVID-19

Checking temperatures or screening questions are not recommended. But if a child becomes ill at school or develops symptoms similar to COVID-19 the guidelines are quite strict as to how staff need to handle the situation.

Schools should identify an appropriate isolation area for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms who are not able to immediately leave the facility. If a student develops symptoms at school or upon arrival at school, the student should be isolated from other students and the parent or guardian should be notified to pick up the student immediately.

If a separate room is not available, the student needs to be kept at least two metres away from other students and staff and the student requires close contact and care, staff must wear a procedural/surgical mask and eye protection during all interactions with the sick child, and should try to avoid contact with the student’s respiratory secretions.

Once the child has left the building the whole area must be cleaned and sanitized.

Other guidelines

Students with additional needs may require updated assessments and revised individual goals.

Plans for extra-curricular activities and other gatherings will be developed in consultation with the Chief Medical Health Officer once the group/gathering capacity limits for fall 2020 are known.

The school year is set to begin in most divisions on Sept. 1.