Saskatoon Public Schools has released its plan that outlines the school division's commitment to providing safe learning and working environments for our students and staff members.
"Guidance from local public health officials continues to provide necessary guidance for our operational decisions at both the elementary and collegiate levels," said Director of Education Shane Skjerven. "While vaccination rates significantly reduced COVID-19 cases, the spread of the Delta variant has caused a resurgence. This is of particular concern for our youngest students who cannot be vaccinated."
When school resumes September 1, all elementary schools and collegiates will offer in-class, daily learning. Saskatoon Public Schools will have several safety protocols in place to significantly reduce the possible transmission of COVID-19. These measures include:
- mandatory masks inside all schools for all students, staff members and visitors;
- daily personal health screening for students and staff members before attending school;
- a stay-at-home requirement for those who are sick;
- proper hand hygiene expectation;
- continued focus on cleaning and disinfection inside schools; and,
- collegiates moving to a quarter system to reduce contact.
All curricular and extracurricular activities will resume, including athletics, performing arts and in-school clubs. Details can be found in the Elementary Back-To-School Handbook and Collegiate Back-To-School Handbook.
Mask usage and other safety measures will help minimize disruptions to learning by reducing transmission and the likelihood of self-isolating. The school division works with local public health officials to monitor cases and transmission in school communities. If necessary, additional measures will be put in place to protect students and staff members. If at-home learning is preferred, our Online Learning Centre continues to offer K-12 programming, including French immersion.
Vaccination is the most effective measure our community can take to protect one another," Skjerven said. "All eligible students, staff members and community members are strongly encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine. We know that what happens in the community impacts our schools. If we work together, we can keep our students safe and have a successful year of learning."