It has been an interesting, and at times, challenging last few weeks. Thank you once again parents and grandparents for your all of your hard work as well. I know it wasn’t always easy, but I am excited to get back into the classroom with your children.
In preparation for our return to school, please take some time to read the following information sent out by Mrs. MacNeill earlier this week.
Daily Screening Tool:
All students, staff, and visitors must complete daily home screening for symptoms of COVID-19 using the COVID-19 symptom screening tool attached below. This can also be accessed on our school website.
Parents and caregivers are responsible for assessing their children daily before sending them to school. If they are feeling unwell or experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of how mild, they should remain at home and access testing at a drop-in testing clinic at the earliest opportunity. They are required to self isolate until the results are received and a negative test is confirmed. Staff, students, or visitors will be sent home if symptoms arise during the school day.
Testing Recommendations:
Prior to the resumption of in-person classes on Monday, January 31st, all students and staff will be asked to take two rapid antigen screening tests, 48 hours apart. If both test results are negative, the student or staff person may attend school. We are requesting that these tests be administered on Friday (Jan 28) and Sunday (Jan 30) during the evening hours.
As well, students will be asked to take rapid antigen screening tests up to 3 times per week during the first few weeks of school. Others who share a household with students and staff are not required to test. We are requesting that these tests be administered on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings next week.
Additional testing kits will be sent home with students next week. While this testing regime is only a recommendation, please note that in taking these tests, you are helping the entire GCS community return to school safely and reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 unknowingly.
Masking Mandates:
All K-12 students, staff, and visitors are required to wear masks in all indoor areas of school facilities, including in classrooms, while transitioning between classrooms and other school areas, staff areas, and while on school buses should travel be required for class purposes. Masks are not required outdoors and may be removed when eating or drinking. Masks may also be removed temporarily to engage in an educational activity that would otherwise be inhibited by the mask (i.e. engaging in physical activity, playing a wind instrument, etc.) Instructional staff may remove their mask if it inhibits instruction, however they must maintain physical distancing if doing so.
All students and staff should have access to good quality 3-layer masks.
By following this directives mandated by the CPHO, we are able to significantly reduce students that will be considered close contacts in the event of a positive case inside your child’s classroom.
Thank you all for your continued support in helping us return to in-person learning next week.
School Items
Please ensure your child returns to class tomorrow with all the necessary materials: math/language books, indoor shoes, as well as any other items they may have taken home with them for the Christmas break. There is also plenty of snow to be enjoyed so be sure to have your child dressed accordingly to have fun at recess.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Biech
mbiech@gcspei.ca
