Updates

Dear Greensville families,

We are so looking forward to seeing your children on Monday. They have been missed!!!

As we collect more information- we will continue to share ..

For many of you- you will already have seen this info on the posts shared with you on the website.

Here is a re-cap 🙂

 

IPads – loaned to students

Please have your child return the device, cable & cube to their homeroom class on their first day back at school (Jan. 17). Parents should label the device with their child’s name prior to dropping off the device.

 

Student Masks

We know the importance of wearing a well-fitting cloth mask to protect against transmission of COVID19 as one protective strategy that includes rigorous screening, distancing, cohorting, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.

Student 3-ply cloth masks will be delivered to schools as soon as possible. Staff will offer students 3-ply masks.

Staff will be asked to review and remind students :

• the importance of and reasons for wearing a mask and how to wear it correctly.
• how to wear a mask correctly throughout the day e.g., “pull up your mask, please.”

With the rampant transmissibility of this latest COVID variant, please consider having a conversation with your child on how to increase mask wearing for their and the safety of others. We want to ensure the safety of all – especially our more medically vulnerable students.

Verification of Staff and Student Screening

Rigorous screening and monitoring of symptoms by students, families, and staff is critical to limiting transmission and keeping schools safer and open for in-person learning. Students will be required to actively screen each day, regardless of access to testing and to isolate if symptomatic, regardless of vaccination status and/or test access.

As an additional layer of protection for students, all schools are required to reinstate daily on-site confirmation of screening for all students and staff until further notice.

A calendar was sent home with your child before the break to use for this purpose. If you require a new calendar- please let your child’s teacher know.

If your child is symptomatic before arrival at school, please provide the school with this information. Follow the Symptomatic Student at School or at Home Decision Guide. Students will be required to return to school with the Attestation for Return to School Following Illness filled out–located in the Parent Portal under forms.

1.11B – Decision Guide Symptomatic Child Home

If students fall ill with symptoms during the day, they too will be also required to return to school with the Attestation for Return to School Following Illness form completed before reentering the school.

Rapid Antigen Testing Kits

The Ministry will be providing two rapid antigen tests per person for symptomatic use as outlined in the revised symptom screener. The two rapid antigen tests provided are to be taken home and used at home ONLY when individuals are symptomatic. HWDSB hasn’t yet received RAT kits.

As per the COVID-19: Interim Guidance for Schools and Child Care: Omicron Surge Guidance, if two consecutive RATs, separated by 24-48 hours, are both negative, the symptomatic individual is less likely to have COVID-19 infection, and the individual should isolate until symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms are present). If students are symptomatic at home, they are encouraged to stay at home and isolate and should not go to school to pick up a testing kit.

Cohorting  – Elementary cohorting in classes and at recess continues, and will be even more important.

Pause – In Person Extra-Curricular Activities

Pause – high intensity and high contact sports in PE, Band and Choir

Continuity of Learning for Students Absent Due to Illness or Self-Isolating in a Regular Classroom HWDSB will continue its continuity of learning approach for students absent due to illness. Educators will provide students with access to learning and assignments, as well as providing an opportunity for students to submit learning for assessment.

In addition, please check out the system’s options for moving to Remote learning( until June) or an option for Short-Term Virtual Learning – which are outlined on the Board website, and run outside of the school parameters if this feels right to your family.

As always

Take care.