On February 4th, 2021, the Ministry of Education provided significant updates to the health and safety plans for BC schools. The last major updates to these plans were in September 2020. Most of the updates we are already doing, and the updated documents will help ensure that our plans are clearer and a more accurate reflection of what is happening in the school. This document is not a list of all the updates but, of what we believe to be key updates to the St. Bernadette COVID-19 Health and Safety plans. We strongly urge parents to read all of the health and safety documents on our website.
LEARNING GROUPS AND PHYSICAL DISTANCING – Key updates
When possible, St. Bernadette School will use the principal and/or the learning resource teacher to be a teacher in the classroom as opposed to bringing in a temporary teacher on call. This will minimize the number of adults interacting with the students and will use current staff who are knowledgeable and fully understand the methods and design of the school’s health and safety plan.
St. Bernadette School will have educational assistant practicum students in the school. These students will be assigned to a learning group.
The school has implemented strategies that prevent crowding at pick-up and drop-off times
Classes are to enter and exit through their classroom doors (grade 4 will use the gym doors)
Start and end times are staggered, and classes will exit a few minutes apart.
Kindergarten and Gr. 1 will be picked up from the classroom. All other grades will have a designated waiting area for pick-up.
Staff are required to wear masks when indoors, especially when they are unable to maintain physical distancing, and a barrier is not present.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING INSTRUCTIONS – Key updates
Ensure that the use of masks does not reduce or replace practicing physical distancing and other prevention measures for both students and staff. Masks are not a replacement for physical distancing
Parents, caregivers, health-care providers, volunteers, and other non-staff people (e.g. visitors) entering the school will be limited to those supporting activities that are of benefit to student learning and wellbeing
St. Bernadette School will use positive and inclusive approaches to promote preventive measures and the school will foster a culture of practice and awareness of preventative measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The school will avoid punitive measures or enforcement activities that exclude students from fully participating in school or that could result in stigma
PHE classes, extra-curricular exercises and sport activities will occur outside whenever possible
There will be no activities, indoor or outdoor, that include prolonged physical contact or crowding
Elementary students are less able to consistently practice physical distancing. Outdoors is a lower-risk environment than indoors. When possible, students should not gather in large social groups that put themselves closer than 2 meters to other students
All school gatherings or events that are not educational activities (Year End BBQ, Grade 7 Farewell, etc.) will adhere to the PHO Order for Gathers and Events
School Masses are considered an educational activity and is a part of the Religious Education curriculum of the school. All school Masses will adhere to the same protocols and regulations as assemblies and other educational gatherings
DISINFECTION AND CLEANING PROTOCOLS – Key updates
St. Bernadette’s will use commercial disinfectant products listed on Canada’s hard surface disinfectants for use against COVID-19
St. Bernadette’s will follow the procedures outlined in the BCCDC Cleaning and Disinfectants for Public Settings Document when cleaning and disinfecting.
The School will replace HVAC air filters with Merv-13 filters monthly.
The school will follow these procedures, in conjunction with school policies, when cleaning and disinfecting bodily fluids (e.g. runny nose, vomit, blood, stool, urine)
Wear disposable gloves when cleaning blood or body fluids.
Wash hands before wearing and after removing gloves.
Follow regular health and safety procedure and regularly used PPE for blood and bodily fluids.
The school will provide supervision for younger children when they are unwell. Supervising staff should wear a non-medical mask and face shield if they are unable to maintain physical distance. They are to avoid touching bodily fluids as much as possible and practice diligent hand hygiene.
ILLNESS AND HEALTH CHECK POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS – Key updates
Bernadette School continues to clearly communicate with parents/caregivers their responsibility to assess their children daily before sending them to school and keep them home from school if they are sick or if they have been directed to self-isolate by their local health authority. Parents are to check their newsletter weekly, read all email communication from the school and attend virtual parent information nights.
Parents and caregivers should assess their children daily for illness before sending them to school.
St. Bernadette’s is not required to verify that the student health check has occurred every day or require that parents/caregivers submit a daily health check form.
Students, staff members or other adults should stay at home when sick, as this is one of the most important ways to reduce the introduction to and the spread of COVID-19 in schools. When a staff, student or other adult can return to school depends on the type of symptoms they experienced and if a COVID-19 test is recommended. More information can be found on the BCCDC website and in the BCCDC document “Provincial COVID-19 Health Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings” Updated February 4th, 2021.
Students and staff who experience symptoms consistent with a previously diagnosed health condition (e.g. seasonal allergies) can continue to attend school when they are experiencing these symptoms as normal.
Students and staff may still attend school if a member of their household develops new symptoms of illness, provided the student/staff has no symptoms themselves.
If based on their symptoms a test was not recommended, the person can return to school when their symptoms improve, and they feel well enough.
If based on their symptoms a test is recommended, the person must stay home until they receive their test results.
If the test is negative, they can return to school when symptoms improve, and they feel well.
If the test is positive, they must follow direction from public health on when they can return to school.
Staff and families at St. Bernadette’s are encouraged to call 8-1-1 or their health care provider if they need further guidance.
TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE AND SOCIO-EMOTIONAL LEARNING – Key updates
Staff are to provide inclusive and compassionate learning environments
Staff are to provide modelling and lead students in practicing coping strategies
The school will use non-adversarial discipline (avoiding punitive and stigmatizing measures)
Staff will help to minimize additional stress or trauma by addressing individual student needs
Staff will engage in self-awareness practices to understand their own levels of trauma and that trauma is everywhere in our community
The school will build an understanding that executive functioning skills are compromised; work within the framework that these skills will not be preforming at peak levels and these behaviours are a deficit of the following skills:
Inhibitions
Working memory
Verbal working memory
Emotional self-regulation
Forethought
Paying attention
Organizing, planning and prioritizing
Starting tasks and staying focused
Understanding different points of view
Self-monitoring
This is a collection of some of the key updates and not all updates are list above. We encourage families to read the school’s Health and Safety Plans in full on our school webpage www.stbernadetteschool.ca/covid-19/
• Updated Ministry of Education Health and Safety Plans
• Scholastic Book Fair and Virtual Book Fair
THE MONTH AT A GLANCE
• February 24th – Pink Shirt Day – Non-Uniform Day
• March 1st – 5th – Annual Book Fair
• March 3rd – 6pm-8pm Virtual Book Fair “Family Night”
• March 12th – Early Dismissal (No Stingers Club after school)
• March 13th – 28th – Spring Break
• April 1st – Holy Thursday – Early Dismissal (No Stingers Club after school)
• April 2nd – Good Friday – No School
• April 5th – Easter Monday – No School
UPDATED MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HEALTH AND SAFETY PLANS
On Thursday February 4th the Ministry of Education announced updates to the health and safety plans for all BC schools. St. Bernadette’s is currently working on updating our plans based on the updates from the ministry and the BCCDC. Once our plans are updated, we will post them on our website and notify parents of the updates.The new updates focus mainly on:- prevention of crowding, especially at the start and end of the day- mask wearing, physical distancing and other preventative measures.- new mask mandate for staff- new requirements for Physical Education classes Many of the updates we are already doing. We are proud of our plans and the work we have done to keep everyone safe and healthy. We understand that there is no guarantee that with all measure in place we can prevent an exposure. However, we do believe that due to everyone’s vigilance we can keep it as that, an exposure, and not allow the virus to transmit within our school. Continued cooperation is needed from everyone in our community. Please see below in ways that you can help by monitoring your family’s health and practicing physical distancing and mask wearing on school property.We also want to remind parents that families are not to allow their child(ren) to play in the courtyard after school, families are to collect their child(ren) and immediate vacate the school grounds, families are not to gather on school property, and all families and visitors must wear masks at all times when they are out of their vehicle and on school property.More updates are to come.
DAILY HEALTH CHECKS
We would like to remind families that health checks are part of the school’s health and safety plans. Health checks must be done by families every school day. If your child is home from school because they are sick or not feeling well, it is important that you check for any symptoms that might be related to COVID-19 and call 811 to see if a test is needed.
NEW HEALTH CHECK APP
There is a new daily health check app that the BC government has recently put out. Please go to https://www.k12dailycheck.gov.bc.ca/healthcheck?execution=e1s1 It is essential that families do a health check every morning prior to leaving for school and that students stay home if they show any signs or symptoms listed on the health check or if they are feeling unwell. Health checks are a vital part of our health and safety plans. It is important that families do a health check every day and get tested if necessary.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR MARCH 1ST – 5TH
We are happy to announce that we will be having our annual book fair again this year. There will be some changes made so that the fair can run safely for all students and staff:- The book fair will only be open during class time. – School staff will be running the cashier and monitoring the students- Each class has signed up for a time and teachers will inform parents which days their class will go down to the book fair- The book fair is being held on the larger side of the Library Learning Commons to accommodate more spacing between students- The book fair will be closed before school, during recesses and after school. Students can only attend the book fair with their class and classroom teacher- There is an online option too. See below for more details.
SCHOLASTIC VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR
On Wednesday March 3rd from 6-8pm, our book fair will have a “virtual family night”. Any books purchased during this time will receive free shipping regardless of the amount spent. All other times shipping is a flat $6.00. All throughout the week you can purchase books online, however, it is during our “virtual family night” that you will receive free shipping. Anyone can purchase virtually so please pass this along to the book lovers you know and help support our school and literacy initiatives for our children. The link will be in next week’s newsletter.
REMINDERS
ADMISSIONS UPDATE
We would like to thank all the families who promoted our school through word of mouth over these past few months. Once again we experienced a tremendous response from the community to be a part of our school. Although enrolment was slow at first, January was very busy and we are now full in almost all of our classes. Below are the space that are left in our school:
Kindergarten – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 1 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 2 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 3 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 4- Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 5 – 3 spots available
Gr. 6 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 7 – 4 spots available
PARISH TAX RECEIPTS
Tax receipts for donations in 2020 to the parish and Project Advance are now available for pickup from the parish office. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4pm this week. If you are sending someone to pick up on your behalf, please contact the parish office by email (parish@stbernadette.ca) or by phone (604-596-0566) to provide us with the name of the person you wish to release your tax receipt to; we will not release this very private information without your permission.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
As the weather continues to bring rain, cold temperatures and the possibility of snow, it is important that children come to school dressed for the weather we are expecting on that day. As part of our health and safety plans, it was stated that:
“As much as possible, classes will be held outdoors, and students will be required to be outdoors during recess times.”
• Students need to be prepared for the weather when going outside for recess. Sunscreen and hats are recommended for the warmer months, while winter/rain jackets, gloves, toques, rain boots, umbrellas and other similar items are recommended for the rainy, snowy and cold months.
• “Indoor recess will only occur if the outdoor conditions are unsafe for the students.” – STB Family Planning and Return to School September 2020 document
Children will be going outside during rainy and cold weather. Having an umbrella and/or a good rain jacket is essential. Being outside for recess is healthy for the student and the classroom. Your child needs fresh air and recess times allow the air in the classroom to cycle quicker and bring more fresh air in.
WEARING MASKS IN SCHOOL
St. Bernadette School has excellent compliance with mask wearing. With recent mask wearing orders coming to public spaces, questions were asked about if schools were going to make masks mandatory too. As of now, masks are still not mandatory. However, you will see calls from the BCTF and other educational groups asking parents to speak with their children about wearing masks in class.
There is significant credible research that speaks to the importance and effectiveness of wearing a mask. In addition, in the U.S., the director of the CDC stated that face masks are “the most important, powerful public health tool we have.” Face masks reduce the amount of droplets and aerosols in the air, reduce the viral load, and creates a “form of ‘variolation’ that would generate immunity and thereby slow the spread of the virus while we wait for a vaccine” as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.
We are asking students to treat masks as part of their uniform, to wear them in class, to take breaks from wearing them when they are outside or eating, and to ensure that they are wearing them properly (over the mouth and nose).
We continue to view masks as one layer of a multilayered approach to our health and safety plan. It is not a be all, end all method, in the same way that physical distancing, health checks and hand washing are each not effective on their own. However, as we learn more about the virus, its infection through droplets and aerosols, its contagion rate, the short and long term health effects, and other aspects, mask wearing is important and will continue to be effective.
Please continue to speak with your child(ten) about following the health and safety plans of the school, and if they share the fantastic work they are doing to keep themselves and others safe and healthy, please congratulate them on doing a great job in following the health and safety plans of the school.
PREPARING FOR UNEXPECTED CHANGES TO LEARNING
St. Bernadette School wants to ensure that we are all prepared for unexpected directives from Fraser Health or the Ministry of Education due to the changing public health landscape as a result of rising COVID-19 cases in our community. There are several scenarios that could impact in-class learning:
– Fraser Health ordering a student/teacher/staff to self isolate due to a school exposure
– Fraser Health ordering a class to self isolate due to a school exposure
– Fraser Health ordering a Learning Group (Cohort) to self-isolate due to a school exposure
– Fraser Health ordering our school to close due to an outbreak
– Ordering of us to close due to staff shortages
– The Provincial Health Officer ordering a shift to remote learning or hybrid learning
We are mindful that COVID-19’s prevalence is growing in our community exponentially and we have to be prepared to respond accordingly. This notice is written to provide you the assurance that we got this. We are on top of it. We are responding to it. We are well prepared for all the possible scenarios.
Since the beginning of November, the staff has been working on plans and preparations for a possible disruption to in-class learning. It is our intention to ensure that every student is prepared with the necessary skills and resources if a disruption would occur. You may notice that students are beginning to transport more resources back and forth from school each day. This is so we are prepared to move to another stage of learning if we are asked to suddenly pivot overnight. Teachers are also transporting more items back and forth from school each day so they too can pivot quickly and effectively.
St. Bernadette students are in good hands, we are well prepared and as always, are ready for all possible scenarios. We are on top of it and are working collaboratively to ensure that we will continue to provide a sound and meaningful education if we need to quickly move to another stage of learning. With your ongoing support and community buy-in, we can continue to do our best to keep everyone safe and healthy as we move closer to Christmas break.
IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING PROPER HEALTH AND SAFETY
St. Bernadette’s believes strongly that a multilayered approach is essential to reducing risk at our school. We have identified 4 areas that will keep everyone safe:
1. Physical Distancing – it is especially important that adults maintain physical distancing from each other and other children, especially when on school property. Children must maintain physical distancing from other students outside of their Learning Group. Families should not be getting together and students should not be having playdates.
2. Masks – Mask wearing is mandatory for visitors and adults while on school property. Masks must be worn properly and have a minimum of 2 layers of protection. Students are encouraged to wear a mask as much as possible throughout the day. Teachers will suggest to students they should put on their mask if physical distancing cannot be maintained. We continue to have great compliance with mask wearing in the school.
3. Washing Hands – Children will wash their hands anywhere from 6 – 10+ times per day. Every time a student transitions, they will wash their hands. Students should wash their hands prior to leaving their house.
4. Health Checks and Testing – Ensuring we are healthy on a daily basis is very important. Families have shown excellent compliance thus far. If a child is unwell, they cannot return to school until they are well again and symptoms have subsided. If your child is unwell and has COVID like symptoms, you must call 811 and they will give you further guidance.
With everyone in our community working together and adhering to these 4 layers of protection, we can keep each other safe and healthy as we head into the winter months.
Used Uniforms – If you have used uniforms to donate or need a uniform for you child, please email useduniforms@stbernadette.ca. You can also drop off your used uniforms at the box located outside of our front doors at any time.
Stingers Club – For inquiries for registration or other questions regarding before and after school care, please email stingersclub@stbernadette.ca To pick your child up, please call 236-518-6402
Shout Out Submissions – if you would like to recognize someone or a group in our community please email shoutout@stbernadette.ca
PEC Chair – If you have questions, concerns or comments for our Parish Education Committee, please email pec@stbernadette.ca
Today the Ministry of Education presented new updates to our health and safety guidelines for K-12 schools. The updates mainly address masks in schools, and the management of activities in physical education and music classes. It is noted that very little has changed for elementary schools. Under these new updates, St. Bernadette’s will continue to foster a culture of mask wearing and encourage all students to wear a mask when indoors. The new updates give new guidance on how physical education is delivered. Starting Monday February 8th, all high intensity activities will be done outdoors when possible. Students will be encouraged to wear a mask when participating in activities in the gymnasium.
I am very pleased with the cooperation and support we are receiving from students and families. We are fortunate to have a very united and committed community of parents and students who understand the benefits and importance of following the directives from the PHO as we move through this pandemic together. I ask that we continue to show each other kindness and understanding whenever we are on school property. This includes wearing a mask while on-site, not gathering with other parents (especially on the parish side of the school) and arriving/picking up on time.
The BCCDC, and the Minister of Education have reinforced that in addition to wearing masks, physical distancing, improved ventilation and other safety measures, when a child is not well, even if they are showing the mildest of symptoms, they must stay home. The government has issued a new website and app to help families with their daily health checks. If you are unsure if your child should attend school or not, please complete the K-12 health check at:
St. Bernadette’s will continue to make our students’ health and safety a priority, foster healthy and meaningful relationships between peers and between the students and the staff, and promote a trauma informed practice. In a time when field trips, sports, special events and other exciting moments for children have been reduced, cancelled or postponed, I have seen great moments of joy and excitement in our school. As teachers we are privileged to witness children entering into our building each day ready to learn and excited to be here with their friends. We are very blessed and whatever the future sends our way, we will address it, work through it, and support each other as a community of love, acceptance and understanding.
• February 5th – Last day for late re-registration
• February 10th – Non-Uniform Day – Animal Appreciation Day
• February 11th – Valentine’s Day at school
• February 12th – No School (CISVA wellness day)
• February 15th – No School (family day)
• February 17th – Ash Wednesday
• February 24th – Pink Shirt Day
• March 1st – 5th – Annual Bookfair
ADMISSIONS UPDATE
We would like to thank all the families who promoted our school through word of mouth over these past few months. Once again we experienced a tremendous response from the community to be a part of our school. Although enrolment was slow at first, January was very busy and we are now full in almost all of our classes. Below are the space that are left in our school:
Kindergarten – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 1 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 2 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 3 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 4- Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 5 – 3 spots available
Gr. 6 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 7 – 4 spots available
SCHOOL MASSES AND ASH WEDNESDAY
Under current restrictions, school Masses are permitted to happen as long as they are not conducted in the church, are limited to the learning groups, masks are worn and physical distancing is practiced. We have had very good success hosting Mass thus far and will continue to do so on a weekly basis for different learning groups.
With Ash Wednesday fast approaching, we are in discussion with the parish and the archdiocese on how we can safely have Mass for everyone on that day. We will wait to hear if there are any changes to the current restriction prior to making an announcement.
PARISH TAX RECEIPTS
Tax receipts for donations in 2020 to the parish and Project Advance are now available for pickup from the parish office. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4pm this week. If you are sending someone to pick up on your behalf, please contact the parish office by email (parish@stbernadette.ca) or by phone (604-596-0566) to provide us with the name of the person you wish to release your tax receipt to; we will not release this very private information without your permission.
ANIMAL APPRECIATION DAY
The St. Bernadette BC SPCA Club would like to announce our 13th annual HEARTS FOR ANIMALS APPRECIATION DAY 2021. It will be held on Wednesday, February 10th, 2021. This special day we will be dressing in red, white, and/or pink. We will be collecting a minimum donation of $2.00 with all proceeds going to the BC SPCA Medical Emergency Program. This year we will be sponsoring animals who are in need of emergency care. We ask students to please remember to enter the club’s contest which will be held at the school from Monday Feb. 1st to Friday Feb. 5th. Lucky winners will be announced on February 10th. The St. Bernadette BC SPCA Club appreciates your support and we hope that students will enjoy the contest week and our special appreciation day for our animal friends.
VALENTINE’S DAY
On Thursday Feb. 11th, students will be allowed to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their classmates. We ask that families adhere to the following:
– Only Valentine’s Day cards, pencils, and/or trinkets can be exchanged on Feb. 11th
– Students are not allowed to bring in treats, candy or other food items.
– Teachers, as part of a controlled and monitored system within our covid-19 protocols, may elect to bring in a treat for the students. If they do so, items will be individually wrapped and proper health and safety measures will be in place.
