Our Community

An Important Message Regarding the Reopening of sənsisyustən

We have a number of updates to share with you for the upcoming school year. This information is current as of August 21, 2020.

We will be reopening sənsisyustən for students to attend. Based on the summary information you read below, we will implement a number of different strategies, protocols, and safety measures to ensure that your child is safe as possible while at school. It is a new way of being for everyone, not just students, so we will need time to adapt and modify the various policies to ensure that we do everything possible to keep your child, our staff, and the wider community safe.

Many things will change from the time you get this letter to the time school starts. Change has come everyday it seems and we do not see this stopping anytime soon.  sənsisyustən, in coordination with WFN, our Health Department, and Provincial and Federal Governments, will follow all necessary instructions and protocols during this period. When changes come, we will do our best to inform you as quickly as possible.

You are concerned for the safety of your child. We are, too. Help us in this process by reading through and following the following protocols. If your child is sick, please keep him or her home until better. In these times, better safe than sorry is the mantra we are following.

We cannot possibly send out every possible protocol we intend to follow in an email. While I am sure it would be riveting reading, if you have in depth questions or really need to know something specific, contact the school Principal, Wes Malo, to discuss. The same goes for any questions that relate to individual students that may have specific needs that have not been addressed here. Give Wes a call. He has some good jokes as well that may take your mind off your worries.

So, after all that, what is this going to look like? Well, everyone is coming back to school on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. The first day, as always, is a half day. We will focus on getting the kids ready to re enter school and find out where they are academically. Teachers will be doing some reading testing to establish groups while those not being assessed will be meeting up with friends and doing activities. Dismissal will be at noon. Wednesday, September 9, 2020 begin regular days again.

While we considered a staggered start up after Labour Day, we are ready to go with all our processes in place as teachers will have been back for a week before to prepare for the new school year and the new ways of doing things. WFN Building Management has gone out of their way to assist the school in preparing and planning over the summer. WFN's Health Department has been along with us since February and March when the whole COVID became the main topic of discussion. And we must give many thanks to the WFN Chief and Council for their staunch and unwavering support of the school and community during this time.

We are all in this together.

For further information on WFN's COVID-19 response, or facilities and services updates, please click here 

Learning Groups

• The Learning Groups for the school will be each of the classrooms. Our Learning Groups, being of small size, will often combine with        other Learning Groups to work together.

• Students and staff within our school will maintain physical distancing whenever possible.

• Those outside of a learning group must practice physical distancing when interacting with the Learning Group.

• When staff are: interacting with people outside of their learning group; physical distance cannot be consistently maintained; and none of  the strategies outlined above are viable options, staff and students are required to wear a non-medical mask, a face covering or a face shield (in which case a non-medical mask should be worn in addition to the face shield). We will have non-medical masks and face shields available for staff and students.

Classrooms

• Students and staff will be encouraged to avoid close greetings (e.g. hugs, handshakes) and to not touch their faces.

• Unnecessary furnishings and equipment will be removed from classrooms to allow more space to spread students out.

• We will space out students to the best of our ability in each classroom based on numbers and furnishings.

• Whenever possible, the outdoor classrooms will be used.

• The school will strive to minimize the number of different teacher(s) and educational assistant(s) that interact with groups of students throughout the day.

• Staff and students will be encouraged to only bring personal items that are necessary (e.g. backpacks, clothing, school supplies, water bottles) and will not share personal items with others.

• Personal items including school supplies will be labelled with student names.

Food Services

• Students and parents/caregivers are not permitted to bring homemade food items meant for sharing into the school at this time (e.g., birthday treats, bake sale items).

• The school will emphasize to students, teachers and parents/caregivers that food and beverages should not be shared.

• Students will eat breakfast with their learning group in a separate location. Lunch will be shared with a second learning group.

Hand Hygiene

• Students will be advised by signage and class instruction to perform hand hygiene:
o When they arrive at school.
o  Before and after any breaks (e.g., recess, lunch).
o  Before and after eating and drinking (excluding drinks kept at a student’s desk or locker).
o Before and after using an indoor learning space used by multiple cohorts (e.g. the gym).
o  After using the toilet.
o After sneezing or coughing into hands.
o Whenever hands are visibly dirty.

• Staff will be advised by signage and through meetings to perform hand hygiene:
o When they arrive at school.
o Before and after any breaks (e.g. recess, lunch).
o Before and after eating and drinking.
o Before and after handling food or assisting students with eating.
o Before and after giving medication to a student or self.
o After using the toilet.
o After contact with body fluids (i.e., runny noses, spit, vomit, blood).
o After cleaning tasks.
o After removing gloves.
o After handling garbage.
o Whenever hands are visibly dirty.

Personal Strategies

• Students and staff will be encouraged by teachers and through other communication tools such as signage and newsletters/emails to parents and caregivers to:

o Avoid close greetings (e.g. hugs, handshakes).
o Encourage students and staff to not touch their faces (“hands below shoulders”).
o Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. Throw away used tissues and immediately perform hand hygiene.
o Refrain from touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
o Refrain from sharing any food, drinks, and unwashed utensils.

Daily Health Checks

• The school will work with the health clinic to ensure policies and procedures are in place regarding reporting elevated staff and student absenteeism due to influenza-like illness to public health/the school medical health officer. This reporting is helpful in early identification of clusters and outbreaks.

• If a staff or student in a school is confirmed by a local public health professional or authority as positive for COVID-19, they will work with school administration to determine what actions should be taken, including if any staff or students who have been in contact with that person need to self-isolate, and if other staff and students’ families should be notified.

• Students and staff with cold, influenza, or COVID-19 like symptoms should stay home, self-isolate, and be assessed by a health-care provider. Testing is recommended for anyone with these symptoms, even mild ones.

• Quarantine is a term typically reserved for people who return from travel outside the country who are at risk of developing COVID-19. All students and staff who have travelled outside of Canada are required to self-isolate for 14 days under both provincial and federal orders.

• Any student, staff or other person within the school who has symptoms of COVID-19 OR travelled outside Canada in the last 14 days OR was identified as a close contact of a confirmed case or outbreak must stay home and self-isolate, including children of essential service workers.

• Any student, staff, or other person within the school who has cold, influenza, or COVID-19-like symptoms should seek assessment by a health-care provider.

• Parents and caregivers must assess their child daily for symptoms of common cold, influenza, COVID-19, or other infectious respiratory disease before sending them to school.
o If a child has any symptoms, they must not go to school.

• Staff and other adults must assess themselves daily for symptoms of common cold, influenza, or COVID-19 prior to entering the school.
o If staff or any adult has any symptoms, they must not enter the school.

• The school will:
o Ensure school staff and other adults entering the school are aware of their responsibility to assess themselves daily for symptoms of common cold, influenza, COVID-19 or other infectious respiratory disease prior to entering the school.
o Clearly communicate with parents and caregivers about their responsibility to assess their children daily before sending them to school.

Illness at School

• If a student develops any symptoms of illness, parents or caregivers must keep the student at home.

• If a staff member develops any symptoms of illness, staff must stay home.

• The designated space for an ill student or staff member to wait if they cannot return home immediately is the office medical room.

• Parents or designates are required to pick up any sick child from the school when called. Please have another contact ready to pick up your child if you are unable to attend.

• Please ensure the school has updated contact information for you and another contact.

Cleaning and Disinfection

• Cleaning and disinfection procedures in the school will include:
o General cleaning and disinfecting of the premises at least once every 24 hours.
 This includes items that only a single student uses, like an individual desk or locker.
o Cleaning and disinfecting of frequently-touched surfaces at least twice every 24 hours.
 These include door knobs, light switches, toilet handles, tables, desks, chairs used by multiple students, water fountains, and toys.
o  Cleaning and disinfecting any surface that is visibly dirty.
o Using common, commercially-available detergents and disinfectant products and closely following the instructions on the label.
o  Limiting frequently-touched items that are not easily cleaned.
o Emptying garbage containers daily.
o Wearing disposable gloves when cleaning blood or body fluids (e.g., runny nose, vomit, stool, urine). Washing hands before wearing and after removing gloves.
o Laminated paper-based products will be cleaned and disinfected daily if they are touched by multiple people.
o Removing shared items where cross-contamination is possible (e.g., shared school supplies, coffee and water stations, and snack bins).
o Incorporating end-of-shift wipe downs for all shared spaces.
o Cleaning and disinfecting cots and mattresses prior to use and after they are used or soiled. Use single use only pillow cases and blankets and dispose of them immediately after single use. Where pillow cases and blankets are not single use, launder between each student.
o Providing adequate instruction, training, and supplies to custodians.

Non-Medical Masks

• Routine wearing of masks by students and staff within the school and on buses will be encouraged.

• Students and staff will have a non-medical mask or face covering available at school so it is accessible should they become ill while at school.

• Students will wear a non-medical mask or face covering when they cannot physically distance or be behind a physical barrier on a school bus.

• Students will be taught about how to use masks and the expectation that they will treat people wearing masks with respect.

• When staff are: interacting with people outside of their learning group; physical distance cannot be consistently maintained; and none of the strategies outlined above are viable options, staff are expected to wear a non-medical mask, a face covering or a face shield (in which case a non-medical mask should be worn in addition to the face shield). Schools will have non-medical masks and face shields available for staff.

Staff Safety

• Establish and post occupancy limits for shared spaces such as lunch rooms and break rooms.

• Remove chairs or tables to ensure occupancy limits are not exceeded and provide additional areas for workers to have their breaks, including areas outdoors.

• If workers need to meet in person, ensure there is a 2-metre space between each worker.

• Ensure that workers are knowledgeable regarding the controls required to minimize their risk of exposure to COVID-19.

• Report any unsafe conditions or acts.

Communication

• The school will send a regular email to families/parents/caregivers. It will include updates about the school’s COVID-19 response and procedures, reminders about daily health checks and signs/symptoms of COVID-19, mental health resources, and responses to common questions/concerns.

• The principal will communicate on a regular basis with First Nation administration and Chief and Council.

• COVID-19 information and notices will be posted.

• Signage will be posted at the school entrances, including notices to adults entering the school about their responsibility to assess themselves daily for symptoms of common cold, influenza, COVID-19 or other infectious respiratory disease prior to entering. Masks may be required for visitors and contractors.

• A start of the year meeting will be held with staff to review workplace practices relating to COVID-19 and answer questions.

• Regular check-in meeting with staff will be held to share current information and review any concerns.

Training and Orientation

• The school will provide instruction to staff on the following:
o The risk of exposure to COVID-19 and the signs and symptoms of the disease.
o Safe work procedures or instruction to be followed, including hand washing and cough/sneeze etiquette.
o How to report an exposure to or symptoms of COVID-19.
o Changes made to policies, practices, and procedures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
o The school will keep a record of the instruction and training provided to workers regarding COVID-19, as well as reports of exposure and first aid records. COVID-19 related meetings will be documented and minutes posted at a central location.

The school will keep a record of the instruction and training provided to workers regarding COVID-19, as well as reports of exposure and first aid records. COVID-19 related meetings will be documented and minutes posted at a central location.