Notre Dame Return to School
September 2020
Welcome Back
We are excited to return to school this fall with several new safety measures in place to ensure the safety of our students and staff. With the guidance of our Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, Light of Christ Schools are now Level II of the Safe Alternatives. We are confident that the measures we have in place will ensure the safety of students and staff, reduce anxiety around the return to school, and foster a learning environment that supports all of our students.
Mandatory Mask Protocols
- All students will be required to wear a mask on the bus.
- Students in Grades 4-7 and staff members will be required to wear a mask in the school.
- LOCCS will provide two reusable non-medical masks for each student. We recommend that you purchase three additional 2-3 layer face masks per child, so they will have one clean mask per day. (bandana and gaiter masks cannot be worn in place of a mask)
- Used masks must go home daily and be cleaned. Students and staff must wear a clean mask daily.
- Students in Pre-K to Grade 3 are not required to wear a mask in school, but may wear one if parents wish. Teachers will remind young children about mask etiquette throughout the day.
Enhanced Cleaning
- Caretakers will clean high-touch areas more frequently.
- Bathrooms will be cleaned more frequently.
Limited Access to the Building
- To ensure the safety of our students and staff, the outside doors will be locked at all times.
- When dropping off or picking up your child, please do not enter the playground or the school.
- Parent contact and meetings will be held by telephone and/or Google Meet. If the need arises to enter the school, you are asked to call to make an appointment. When you arrive, you may ring the outside doorbell to be let in.
- All visitors must wear a mask in the school and sign in at the office. There will be access to the office only - no classroom visits.
Dropoff and Pick Up of Students
Kindergarten – Grade 7 parent drop off and pickup of students will be on 104th Street at the rear of the school.
Pre-K drop off and pickup will be by the front door on 105th Street.
Bus drop off and pickup will be on 105th Street by the fence entrance.
Parents are not allowed to be in the school, or on the playground until further notice.
Please maintain physical distancing.
School Day
- The school day runs from 8:50-3:25.
- The classrooms will be split into two groups to accommodate smaller groups in the hallways and on the playground to limit physical contact - through staggered entrance, recess, lunch and departure times.
- Once students enter the school they are to move directly to classrooms, sanitize hands and be seated. Backpacks will serve as portable student lockers. Everything should remain in backpacks where possible.
- Sharing of materials and food is not allowed. Phone use by students will be on an emergency basis only.
- Hand washing and proper hygiene including etiquette for sneezing and coughing will be taught, modeled and practiced.
- When in the hallways students must walk on the right side of the hallway and must refrain from touching the walls. Floor arrows have been installed as a reminder.
- Lunches should be sent with the students in the morning as parents will not have school access to drop off lunches. There will be no microwaves available for student use.
- Extracurricular activities and field trips are suspended until further notice.
- The Milk Program will be postponed until further notice.
- Playgrounds will not be cleaned and sanitized. Students will sanitize their hands as soon as they enter the classroom.
- Programming for students with intensive needs will continue according to their IIP.
- Mental Health and Emotional Supports will be provided for students and staff.
Illness and Care
- Students and staff who are sick must stay home.
- Please notify the school office if your child will be absent.
- If a student becomes sick while at school, the parents/guardians will be called and will be required to come and pick up their child. The student will wait with a staff member in the isolation room or outside (if a nice day) until the parent/guardian arrives.
- Please follow up with the LOCCS guidelines.
Assigned Classrooms
- Your child’s teacher will call you before September 8, introduce herself/himself to you and give you information about the first day of school.
- Further communication from all teachers will be posted in a new online program called EDSBY. (this will replace Remind, Seesaw, etc.)
- Students will remain in consistent cohorts as often as possible.
- Playground areas are cohort specific that will follow a schedule.
School Supplies
- Academic school supplies have been purchased by the Light of Christ School Division. Each student will receive the academic supplies required for their grade level. Parents are responsible for paying a fee for these supplies. An online payment system will be set to pay fees. More information will be sent out at a later date with a link to the new system.
$25 – Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2
$30 – Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6
$35 - Grade 7
- Parents will be responsible for purchasing the following items for their children:
Backpack
Indoor running shoes
Kleenex
Lunch Kit
Water Bottle
Pencil Box
Individual scent-free hand sanitizer
3 reusable 2-3 layer non-medical masks (no bandana or gaiter masks)
Headphones (Grade 1 to Grade 7)
- Students will only be permitted to bring backpacks, lunch kits, water bottles, masks and outerwear between school and home.
- Please ensure that all student belongings are clearly labelled with the student’s first and last name.
- Students’ water bottles should be filled before arriving at school. Routines will be established for re-filling bottles at the school filling station.
School Information Sites
https://www.facebook.com/Notre-Dame-School-636310243053262/
The school website will also be updated regularly.