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
The
Ministry of Education, in consultation with the Education Steering
Committee and Health & Safety Working Group, has revised the
Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 in alignment with these updates. Changes are summarized at the front of
the document and have been highlighted throughout the document.
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.
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.
Learn More:
