New Health Guidelines

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Due to the recent rise in cases of COVID-19 in BC, the Provincial Health Officer has updated the Non-Medical Masks and Face Coverings section of the Public Health Guidelines for K-12 Schools. You may have already read the district communication indicating that all students in grades 4-12 will now be required to wear masks at school and that it will be strongly encouraged for students K-3. For K-3, mask wearing ultimately remains a personal or family/caregiver choice, and their choices must be respected. CLICK HERE to read the addendum to the Public Health Guidelines for K-12 Schools. This addendum is in place until April 19th and will be reviewed at that time.

K-12 staff, students in grade 4-12 and approved adult volunteers are required to wear a mask at all times while in doors at school. Exceptions include:

• A person who is unable to wear a mask because they do not tolerate it (for health or behavioural reasons);
• A person unable to put on or remove a mask without the assistance of another person;
• If the mask is removed temporarily for the purposes of identifying the person wearing it;
• If the mask is removed temporarily to engage in an educational activity that cannot be performed while wearing a mask (e.g. actively playing a wind instrument, high-intensity physical activity, etc.);
• If a person is eating or drinking;
• If a person is behind a barrier;
• While providing a service to a person with a disability or diverse ability (including but not limited to a hearing impairment), where visual cues, facial expressions and/or lip reading/movements are important.

These changes are new to staff and all students. Teachers will spend the next few days helping students to adjust to this change. Each day, we suggest you send your child to school in a clean mask, and with a spare mask, that they are used to wearing. Schools will have disposable masks available if students forget their mask. Please click the following links for a video and poster containing a reminder of how to wear a face mask.

In order to give our families some time to find masks that will work well and fit comfortably for each child, we plan to begin this practice fully on Tuesday, April 6th, after the Easter Break. In the mean time, students will be encouraged to wear masks sooner, if they have them. We will be providing masks for any students requiring or requesting them beginning on tomorrow, April 1st.

Students will be able to remove their masks while outside at recess, lunchtime and while learning outside. As the weather improves, teachers will continue to look for opportunities to move the learning to outside.

Schools continue to be encouraged to support student mask-use through positive and inclusive approaches, and not
punitive or enforcement activities that exclude students from fully participating in school or that could result in stigma.

Once again, we appreciate your continued support in helping us to keep everyone safe during these difficult times. I would like to remind our parents that safety measures are mandated and our staff members are doing their best to implement these mandated measures. We will continue to inform parents of any changes.

CLICK HERE to access the most recent provincial restrictions as of March 31st.