The North Okanagan-Shuswap school district has released its safety plan for the upcoming school year.
Like other school districts around the province, School District 83 says student and staff health are its top priorities during the coronavirus pandemic.
The plan, sent out in a letter to parents on Tuesday, also touches on many other topics, including staff and student orientation, busing and personal protective equipment.
“For those of you who need additional assurance, please know that our staff have gone above and beyond to provide the very safest, cleanest, and best-organized environment we could, and that our work will continue on throughout the school year and beyond,” said School District 83 CEO and superintendent Peter Jory.
“We have learned a great deal through the June restart and have applied those lessons to our opening this September.”
Staff orientation will take place Sept. 8-9, with student safety orientation running Sept. 10-11.
Regarding cleaning, the school district says:
- Routines now include cleaning at least twice a day;
- Autoscrubbers have been purchased to make floor cleaning more efficient;
- Small schools will now have a daytime custodian;
- Slightly larger schools will have two custodians;
- Big schools will have four custodians.
The school district says strict social-distancing measures are in place, and that all staff and students will be encouraged to wash their hands regularly.
Further, it said one reusable mask and one disposable mask have been ordered for each staff member and each student, with more to be ordered throughout the year.
“We have also ordered several hundred sets of visors and goggles, as well as hundreds of boxes of gloves,” said the school district.
As for busing, the school district says all regular routes are in place, and that busing information postcards have all gone out.
Parents of bus students are asked to call the transportation department at 250-832-9415 or send an email to operations@sd83.bc.ca if your child will no longer be riding the bus to school starting Sept. 10, or if you haven’t received the postcard by Sept. 3.
The school district also has a series of rules regarding busing, including:
- Students staying home when they’re sick
- Parents will be responsible for their child’s safety at the bus stop.
- Lining up with limited contact when waiting for the school bus.
- When possible bus routes will utilize a strict seating plan that reflects cohort and family groupings.
- No eating or drinking (except water) on the school bus.
- School buses will not be accepting unregistered riders, which includes after-school friends coming home with a bus student.
- Students in Grades 6-12 will be required to wear masks while riding the school bus.
To view the letter, click here.