(file photo/CKOM News Staff)

By Angela Brown

Back to school plans

Local school divisions have plans in place, following province’s guidelines

Aug 5, 2020 | 6:02 PM

School divisions across the province have each established their own back to school plans to follow the province’s guidelines outlined in the Saskatchewan Safe Schools plan to address COVID-19 precautions.

All, including the two school divisions’ plans in the Battlefords region, were approved by the province.

“In close consultation with public health officials, the Education Response Planning Team has reviewed and approved each plan to ensure alignment with Saskatchewan’s Safe Schools plan,” Saskatchewan Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant said in a statement.

The province outlined eight points in its Safe Schools Plan with protocols for attending classes safely, ensuring safe transportation and assigned seating on buses as required. The plan includes guidelines for safe access points to schools and sanitized facilities. For classrooms, there are protocols in place to limit physical contact and support services in place for students to ensure activities are conducted safely or an alternative choice is available.

The province’s back to school plan will start at level one which is as close to normal with the new safety protocols. The province’s chief medical health officer will change classroom protocols if COVID-19 levels in the province worsen. If schools are bumped to level two, students will require mask-usage. If bumped to level three, class sizes will be reduced. Level four will be mandatory remote learning, much like it was before the school year ended.

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Since the COVID-19 situation in Saskatchewan is fluid, the province indicated in its report the plan may be updated and adjusted as needed.

Schools are scheduled to reopen as early as September 1.

Light of Christ Director of Education Cory Rideout said the division will adhere to all the directions from the province. If there are any changes or updates, the division will incorporate any recommendations from Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer into its plan.

“It’s a pretty comprehensive plan,” Rideout said. “I believe it is very flexible for our parents, students and teachers. We sought a lot of input. We worked on this a considerable amount of time in June and July.”

The input included feedback from teachers and school administrators, he said.

Light of Christ’s return to school plan is accessible on its website.

There has been criticism from the official opposition and the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF) of the government’s back to school plan released Tuesday. The plan does not include reduced class sizes or mandatory masks but includes guidelines for how schools should operate and the overall plans will be up to the individual school divisions.

The NDP labelled it “the worst plan in Canada” that offered nothing new and offloaded responsibilities to the school divisions, while the STF called the plan “a squandered opportunity to bring some relief and confidence to teachers, school workers and parents.”

Rideout said he is confident the division has addressed all the province’s guidelines for the safety of students and staff.

Some of the division’s new procedures include staggered lunch breaks and recess times to reduce the flow of students. The division has also minimized the amount of unnecessary equipment in classrooms so the rooms are easier to clean. As well, the point of entry and exit for the buildings will be closely monitored for safe access to schools, he said.

Rideout said students can expect to see some changes.

“It will look different, hopefully in the short term,” he said. “When all this is behind us, hopefully we can get back to normal.”

Rideout said as an educator he enjoys working with students and wants to try to make a positive difference for them. He said a return to school with safety provisions will ensure students are “getting the education that they deserve.”

Living Sky School Division also posted its reopen plan for schools on its website, and similar to Light of Christ, indicated plans will be revised as needed by emerging health risk assessments.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW