Saskatchewan’s back-to-school plan features eight components

Students and parents learned more about Saskatchewan’s back-to-school plan Tuesday.

The provincial government released details about the plan that is to apply when schools reopen Sept. 1. Barring a large spike in COVID-19 cases, masks won’t be mandatory and classroom sizes won’t be reduced when K-12 classes resume.

Education Minister Gordon Wyant said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon the goal for the back-to-school plan was to be as “close to normal as possible.”

“We know that maintaining physical distance is less practical, and the focus should be on minimizing physical contact instead,” said Wyant.

Chief Medical Health Officer Saqib Shahab echoed the minister when it comes to the “normal as possible” messaging.

“Many experts have said, you need to provide as normal and reassuring an environment as possible when school starts, especially for younger children,” said Shahab.

Shahab also said, as for face masks, the guidelines are different for the schools than for restaurants and other businesses because of more familiar group settings.

“If you go to a restaurant, you are mixing with an unknown number of people who aren’t part of your usual cohort,” said Shahab. “In a classroom, you are for the most part with the same cohort.”

As for not reducing class sizes, Wyant said that is something that will be monitored as the back-to-school plan moves forward.

“As we move forward into a different phase, if that different level is required as a result of the direction of the Chief Medical Health Officer – those things may come to fruition. We may well have to reduce class sizes and we may well have to put other things in place to make sure that the school settings are safe,” said Wyant.

The government closed schools in March due to COVID-19 and offered virtual learning for students interested in continuing their education.

In June, the province announced in-person classes would resume in the fall and, on Tuesday, provided more of the details for the plan developed by Saskatchewan’s 27 school divisions.

The divisions’ plans went through Saskatchewan Education’s Response Planning Team (RPT) to make sure they followed the guidelines set out by the RPT and Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab.

There are eight components of the plan.

Safe Attendance

Parents and caregivers will be asked to monitor children for any symptoms of illness. If symptoms are present, the student is to stay home from school.

Those who aren’t sure if they may need to be tested for COVID-19 should use the provincial government’s COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool.

Schools also will set up quarantine areas where individuals showing symptoms will be isolated from the rest of the school until they can be picked up by a parent or caregiver.

Safe Transportation

If it’s possible, the province would like parents to drive their kids to and from school.

If busing is required, there will be assigned seating for students, with a record of the seating plan to be kept on buses. Students from the same household will sit together.

Buses and other vehicles that are used to drive students to and from school will require cleaning and sanitation between each run.

Safe Access

Students will have dedicated entrance and exit doors, and recess, lunch and other class transition times will be staggered to allow for additional space.

There also will be a controlled flow of students and staff in common areas through the use of directional signage and floor markings.

Safe Facilities

There will be increased availability of hand sanitizer when possible and custodial staff will regularly sanitize school facilities.

Staff will be required to maintain hygiene of all frequently touched surfaces and objects such as toys and classroom equipment.

Safe Classrooms

In the classroom, physical contact such as hugs and holding hands will be limited and the layout of desks will be changed to minimize contact.

Classes will be held outdoors when possible and guidelines will be created for taking things such as backpacks and school supplies into and out of schools.

Safe Supports

Local health officials will provide support to divisions for interactions with intensive needs or immunocompromised students.

As well, medically fragile students will get support to address their educational needs.

Safe Activities

Group activities will be re-examined to reduce physical contact.

That includes protocols for the reduced use of shared materials and classroom supplies and holding virtual assemblies.

Extracurricular activities such as indoor sports will be allowed, but they must follow the most current guidelines instituted by Shahab.

Safe Alternatives

Depending on the progress of the virus, four scenarios could be activated regionally or provincially based on Shahab’s advice.

The first is a normal return to school, with additional safety precautions. That’s the government’s current plan.

The second scenario will require mask usage. Masks are being purchased by the Ministry of Education and are to be distributed to school divisions in case they’re needed.

In the third scenario, school capacity will be reduced. That may involve the creation of cohorts or hybrid learning models.

The fourth scenario would see the implementation of mandatory remote learning.

Saskatoon Public Schools and Greater Saskatoon Catholic School District plans

Both Saskatoon Public Schools and the Greater Saskatoon Catholic School District released their own detailed plans for the fall return to school after the release of the provincial guidelines.

The two major school boards’ outlines are similar, with staff and students both being strongly encouraged to wear masks when physical distancing isn’t possible.

Students will be able to bring their own masks to school, while teachers and staff will be provided with masks and face shields — though they aren’t mandatory.

Unnecessary furniture is being removed from classrooms to provide more space for desks to be spread out, and teachers are being asked to arrange the room so kids aren’t facing one another.

Both school boards say kids in elementary schools will be cohorted “as much as possible,” in defined groups to limit student interactions through the day.

Saskatoon Public Schools said high school students will be adopting a “block schedule,” where students will take fewer classes per day while still achieving 10 credits through the school year. More details on the block scheduling will be coming soon, the board said.

Both boards are planning to assign groups of students to different doors for entering and exiting the building to limit interactions, while there will also be staggered start times and recesses for the same reason.

Transition time for kindergarten students is being extended to allow for more physical distancing.

Online learning is being set up in both school boards, with high school students able to complete a full slate of classes online. Elementary school online learning is also being established, with parents having to indicate to the school board whether their children will attend in person or online.

Drinking fountains in both school boards are being disabled or closed, but water bottle refill stations will be available to students and staff.

Parents are being asked to transport their kids to school when possible. If not, bus seating charts are being created to keep kids sitting in the same area of the bus — with family members seated together.

Families are also encouraged to bring kids home for lunch. If a student eats their lunch at school, it will be in the classroom.

The Saskatoon Public Schools complete plan can be found here.

The Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools plan can be found here.