FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Education Minister Rob Fleming provided an update, Wednesday, for B.C.’s September back-to-school plans.

Prior to the Province’s update, School District 60 released its COVID-19 K-12 Restart Plan, on Tuesday, for the return to classrooms on September 10.

The Restart Plan outlines many procedures and scenarios that aim to ensure a safe return to the classroom for both staff and students.

Prior to the first day of school, on September 8 and 9, staff will be training and preparing for students to return under the updated Health and Safety guidelines.

Here are some of the key highlights from the School District’s COVID-19 K-12 Restart Plan:

Learning Groups

  • Elementary students will be organized into learning groups of 60.
  • Middle school students will be organized into learning groups of 60, and schools are working on timetables to maintain as much access to the curriculum as possible while following the health and safety expectations.
  • North Peace Secondary School students will be organized into learning groups of 120. Students will follow a “Quarter” timetable system and will be taking two courses each day for 10 weeks at a time.
  • Rural schools will be able to organize into learning groups of 60 or 120 according to their size and context.

Extra-Curricular Activities

  • Sports are available within cohorts with minimized physical contact or with physical
    distancing. Inter-school sports teams and travel have been cancelled. This may be
    reassessed during the school year.
  • Band will continue with attention to physical distancing and sanitization.

Visitors

  • Visitors and volunteers will need to schedule in advance their entry into schools. Health
    and Safety expectations for visitors and volunteers will include but are not limited to
    ● hand washing / sanitizing upon entry
    ● maintaining 2m distance from others
    ● completing and acknowledging a health self-check
    ● providing contact information for contact tracing

Pickup and Drop off

  • Parents are asked not to enter schools to pick up or drop off students. Parents are asked to make arrangements with their schools for midday arrival or dismissals.

Health

  • Families must perform a daily health check of students prior to attending school. Staff
    will perform a daily health check as well.
  • In some spaces like buses, common areas, and hallways it may be difficult or
    impossible to physically distance. In those cases, middle and secondary students,
    and staff will be expected to wear masks. Exceptions will be made for students who
    cannot tolerate masks. Two reusable masks for all students and staff will be provided.
  • Additional custodial time for sanitizing has been made available from government funding to supplement school custodial hours. High touch surfaces will be disinfected twice per day and one deep cleaning of the school at night.