Return To In-Class Learning: SCHOOL: Robert Smith School
Return To In-Class Learning: SCHOOL: Robert Smith School
School Entry/Exit
Students will be divided into four cohorts for the school day; Kindergarten cohort, grade 1/2
cohort, grade 3/4 cohort and grade 5/6 cohort. Cohorts will not exceed 75 people.
Cohorts will access the school via an assigned, separate entrance. Kindergartens will enter
through the back door. Grade 1/2 will enter through the North West door. Grades 3/4 and 5/6 will
stagger their entrances through the North East door.
Classes entering and exiting the building will stagger their entry/exit to ensure social distancing
measures are adhered to.
Staff will enter and exit maintaining a 2 metre distance through the main entrance or parking lot
side door, sanitizing hands upon arriving at and before departing school.
Staff will be on hand to supervise the entry and exit of students.
Enhanced Cleaning
Our school building will be sanitized and cleaned frequently throughout the day. High touch
surfaces (eg. Doorknobs, light switches, electronic devices, desks, chairs) will be disinfected at
least twice a day.
Washrooms will be cleaned and disinfected frequently and their use staggered.
The use of common spaces will be limited.
Where possible doors will be left open and light switches on to avoid repeated touching.
School Spaces
Physical distancing within classrooms will be required to the greatest extent possible.
Students will work in classrooms with spaces between tables and desks a minimum of 1 metre
apart.
Students will use their own supplies and not share supplies.
Outdoor classes and learning opportunities will be encouraged.
The movement of people within a school will be minimized and it is critical to maintain physical
distancing as much as possible. Whenever possible, staff will change rooms and students will
remain in their cohort in the assigned area.
Student Services clinicians will have a designated workspace.
Washroom use will be staggered throughout the day to avoid congestion.
Ventilation
AC filters will be changed regularly.
HVAC system settings will be set to optimize fresh air exchange.
Windows will be open when possible.
Doors will be open when possible.
Drills
Fire and lock-down drills will be modified to achieve required physical distancing.
Recovery Learning
Our focus will continue to remain on the development of literacy and numeracy learning. This will
occur through the wide range of teaching and assessment practices implemented by our teachers.
Students will be given time to adjust to new school routines. Students will receive direct
instruction of proper hand hygiene, and appropriate mask use. This will include the use of social
stories to accommodate all learners.
The LSSD recognizes that the planning and preparation for each student’s learning needs requires
a collaborative team approach.
Monthly Student Services meetings will be scheduled with school assigned clinicians (Social Work,
School Psychology, and Speech Language Pathologist), as they are essential and necessary for
emergency response planning. School teams will meet to discuss student needs and develop any
necessary intervention plans for students who struggled with remote learning.
Student Specific Plans will be updated regularly by the school team.
Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions regarding your child’s progress or
programming.
Outdoor Learning
Kindergarten teachers will continue to take students out for Forest Fridays maintaining physical
distance requirements.
Staff will plan lessons that can be taught outside whenever possible including nature walks,
learning through landscapes, environmental education, and greenspace learning.
Home/School Communication
Parents will be notified by email of any direction or guidance from Manitoba Health and Manitoba
Education. Families will receive updates to this information as they are received. Updated
information will be located on the school website.
Self-Screening
Students and staff must self-screen for symptoms at home every morning before coming to school.
Screening tool: https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/screening-tool/
Parents/guardians are responsible for monitoring their child daily for symptoms before sending them
to school. The school can also support children with self-screening upon arrival at school.
Students and staff who have symptoms or are sick must not come to school.
Call Health Links at 204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257 if you notice symptoms or if you need more
information. Those with symptoms should be tested. If the test is negative for COVID-19, they can
return 24 hours after symptoms resolve. If individuals do not get tested, they should isolate for 14
days from symptom onset, and they may return if symptoms have resolved at that time.
Self-screening signage with exclusion criteria will be posted at school entrances.
Sick at School
If a student becomes sick at school or is demonstrating symptoms as identified through the screening
tool, parents/guardians will be contacted and the child must go home immediately. Please note that
the administrator will have the final say in determining if a student should go home. If
parents/guardians are not available, emergency contacts will be contacted.
A student showing symptoms at school is required to leave the classroom and move to the
designated isolation area until a parent/guardian arrives for pickup.
The sick student is required to wear a medical mask provided by the school.
If a sick student requires the presence of an adult while isolated, the staff member is also required to
wear a medical mask provided by the school.
Parents/guardians may contact Health Links – Info Santé (204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257) or their
health care provider for direction.
Additional environmental cleaning will be focused on high-touch areas and areas where the sick
individual spent time.
A sick individual can return to the school once it has been determined that it is safe to do so by their
health care provider or public health.
Positive COVID-19
Public Health will advise staff and students if they have been in close contact with a positive case of
COVID-19, if they need to self-isolate or self-monitor, and when they can return to school.
Decisions about school closures in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 will be made on a case by
case basis with Public Health leading the response and providing guidance.
If a person in the household has been diagnosed with COVID-19, is in close contact with anyone
diagnosed with COVID-19, or if anyone in the household has travelled out of the province, they are
required to consult with Health Links prior to attending the school.
In the event of a student and/or staff member (or member of the same household) receiving a
probable or positive test for COVID-19:
o The parent/guardian or staff member will immediately advise the school principal who will
inform the superintendent.
o The superintendent will contact public health officials and collaborate with divisional staff to
implement the recommendations of Public Health.
o Upon request by public health officials, the school will provide the contact information of
students and/or staff who would be considered close contacts of the individual who received
a positive test result.
o Public Health is responsible for communicating with close contacts and for advising the school
community as appropriate. Schools will not communicate such information without specific
direction from the superintendent and public health officials.