On behalf of members and parents/guardians, BCCPAC (BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils) has been present and vocal in all the Steering and Health and Safety meetings. We have and will continue to raise these key issues which are being discussed at the provincial table:
- Remote and flexible learning options availability and continuance for those who have not returned to in-class learning
- Adherence to the Guiding Principles ensuring that Special Needs students are receiving a full day/full week of education
- The resolution of the existing equity gap
- Ensuring all students are receiving a full educational program in all districts
- Plans to address the reality of learning impacts being experienced by students across K-12
- Continued plans and resources to address the mental health needs of students
- Health and safety of students
Updated Health & Safety Guidelines
Based on the latest evidence and a review of school exposures to date in BC, the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) and the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) have updated their public health guidance for K-12 schools to address several key areas.
Updates include:
- Strengthened mask guidelines for middle and secondary students and K-12 staff in schools
- Specific guidance for Physical Education and Music Classes
- More detailed protocols regarding staff-only spaces and gatherings
All middle and secondary students and K-12 staff will now be required to wear non-medical masks in all indoor areas, including when they are with their learning groups. The use of masks should not reduce or replace other more effective infection prevention and exposure control measures in schools.
The only exceptions are when:
- Sitting or standing at their seat or workstation in a classroom
- A barrier is in place; or
- When eating or drinking
Prior to these changes, masks were required for middle and secondary students and all K-12 staff in high-traffic areas, like hallways and outside of classrooms or learning cohorts when they could not safely distance from others.
For elementary students, wearing masks indoors remains a personal choice for their family. These updates are part of ongoing work of the provincial steering committee and are in alignment with provincial health updates. Updated guidelines for the child care sector will be made available in the coming week.
Guidelines have also been strengthened for physical education and music classes. High-intensity physical activities are to be held outside as much as possible. Shared equipment or items, such as weight machines, treadmills or musical instruments, can be used only if they are cleaned between use, according to strict school sanitization guidelines. Students using equipment or playing instruments should also be spaced at least two meters apart and masks are to be used when singing.
Six regional Rapid Response teams, one for each health authority and one dedicated to support independent schools, with representatives from both school and provincial health staff have been established. These teams, announced by the PHO, will continue to improve the speed of school exposure investigations, so health authorities can inform school districts and families more quickly. The rapid response teams will conduct physical or virtual site inspections to ensure K-12 COVID-19 health and safety guidelines are being followed consistently. If there has been a significant exposure event or an in-school transmission, rapid response teams will be deployed to conduct a review and make recommendations, if needed.
As a result of all these changes, school districts are required to do the following by Friday, February 26, 2021:
- Update their school district safety plan, in consultation with their rights holder/stakeholder advisory teams, to ensure it is aligned with the revised Provincial Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 then post the revised plan to their district website
- Ensure all school administrators at each school site have completed BCCDC’s new COVID-19 Health and Safety Checklist with their respective health and safety committees.
- Post their updated school district safety plan publicly to their website
The BCCDC has a new website with information and resources about health and safety measures in K-12 schools, student and staff safety, and what happens when there is a COVID-19 case in school.
Regarding school exposures, if there is a confirmed COVID-19 case in a school, public health contacts affected school community members directly. Regional health authorities will also post school notifications on their websites, providing the date and type of notification (outbreak, cluster or exposure) for impacted schools.
- Fraser Health
- Interior Health
- Island Health
- Northern Health
- Vancouver Coastal Health
New K-12 Health Check App
The Ministry of Education has worked with Public Health and the BCCDC to create a daily health check website and mobile app for students and their parents to complete before heading to school in the morning. The website and app will contain the most up-to-date BC health guideline information. The design of the app was developed in collaboration with BC students to create an age-appropriate user-experience. It will allow for students and their parents to make the best decisions on whether to attend school, not to attend school, or take other measures based on the information they provide.
- Read the full media release
- Watch the full recorded announcement
- Visit the BCCDC school site
- Access the K-12 Daily Health Check App via Apple / Google
- Find up-to-date information about K-12 schools
- BCCPAC has posted all documents and relevant links on our Education COVID-19 Resources page
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