(File photo/CKOM News Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

COVID-19 precautions

Living Sky students must comply with masking protocols as required for school start-up

Aug 31, 2021 | 5:50 PM

Students will need to be compliant to masking protocols for everyone’s safety as they return to schools in the Living Sky School Division.

Director of Education Brenda Vickers and Board Chair Ronna Pethick discussed the reasons for having masking protocols in effect when schools commence in an announcement on the Living Sky School Division Facebook Page on Monday.

“As we prepare to welcome students to our schools, we can’t help but think back to last spring, when we were all very hopeful that school start-up in the fall would occur free of restrictions due to COVID-19,” the division said. “Unfortunately, this will not be our reality. While we may be completely finished with the pandemic, it seems that the pandemic is not yet finished with us.”

The division noted that on Aug. 29 Saskatchewan surpassed 2,000 active COVID-19 cases, the highest it has been since mid-May. On Saturday, 369 new cases were announced, the highest count since January.

“Our province is facing the fourth wave of COVID, and our medical system is stressed,” the statement read. “These are not opinions, these are facts.”

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Safe Schools Plan

As well with the provincial Safe Schools Plan, each school division was encouraged to consult with its local medical health officers to develop their plan to meet the need for their community.

“That is precisely what we have done,” Living Sky stated. “We have always relied on advice from medical professionals to make health-related decisions. We have worked closely with our local health team since the beginning of the pandemic, and we are thankful to have them. “

The division added that it is also cognizant of its duty to keep kids safe.

“The duty of care we must provide when families entrust their children to us is far higher than that of a normal household,” the statement said. “Since students younger than 12 are not yet able to be vaccinated, we are being especially cautious with this age group.”

The division indicated it is aware a few people are encouraging students to defy the rules outlined in the plan.

“We respectfully ask that you do not put children and school- based staff in this position,” the division said.

If parents do not wish their child to follow the requirements, they are invited to register their child for home school or distance learning instead.

“If your child attends school without wearing a mask when required, he or she cannot remain at school. You will be asked to come and pick him/her up immediately. All students must wear masks to ride our buses,” the division added.

The statement also said any people opposed to masking requirements can address their concerns with the province, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and/or the Board of Education, “and not place your child in the difficult position of breaching school protocols.”

Living Sky School Division and Light of Christ Catholic Schools released a joint statement on Aug. 27 related to masking protocols to be implemented when schools resume in September.

In the battlefordsNOW Facebook post reflecting the issue, about 45 people appeared to be in favour of the school divisions’ plans, and liked the article post, compared to about 23 respondents that disliked it, based on the latest numbers.

However, in contrast, in the battlefordsNOW anonymous poll on the issue, to date 77 per cent of respondents were opposed to the mask protocols, versus 23 per cent in favour. The poll closes Sept. 13.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow