Parent Peek at the Week
Week of March 21st, 2022
A little note from Mrs. Sampson........
As we head into the last 3 months of school before the summer, things will be looking very different. For some it’s a welcome change - for others it’s a little scary. Reality is that there is still Covid in our community and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Piggott, recommends continuing to wear masks in group settings inside. Like all schools in KPR it is your personal choice whether your children continue to wear masks - we are a mask friendly environment and support everyone’s personal decision. I will continue to wear a mask to protect our community, my family and myself - and hopefully model for students who wish to continue to wear a mask that this is accepted at our school. We will continue to notify parents of positive cases and exposure in classrooms as we are made aware. And, should protocols change again, we will be ready for what comes our way.
Many of our protocols have changed - I’ve done my best to summarize below what has changed and what remains the same. Let’s just take it week by week and see how things go. Your children's safety and the safety of our community continues to be of utmost importance……
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Enjoy the last few days of the break and I look forward to seeing everyone again on Monday.
Mrs. Sampson
In case you missed it.....
Thank you Sarah!
The Great Big Crunch!
Support for the Ukraine
Important Dates
Monday, March 21st - Day 5
- Welcome back everyone!
Tuesday, March 22nd - Day 1
Wednesday, March 23rd - Day 2
- all day - National Crossing Guard Appreciation Day
- Last block - True Nature Program for Holly, Yvonne and Jen Rutherford
Friday, March 25th - Day 4
- Cougar Courage Awards
Upcoming Dates:
- March 30th - Picture Day
- Monday, April 4th - School Council Meeting
- April 5th - VIP Program begins for Grade 6’s
- April 8th - PA Day
- April 11th and 12th - Jimmy Chapman returns for breakdancing
- April 15th - 18th - Easter break
- May 11th and 12th - Lacrosse
- May 20th - Pedal for Hope
What’s new………?
- Masks and eye protection will no longer be required for students, staff and visitors in schools, school board offices and on student transportation. However, we encourage all who wish to continue to wear a mask to do so.
- Individuals will still be required to wear a mask when they are a household contact/close contact of someone with COVID-19 or COVID symptoms.
- Anyone who has travelled outside of Canada must wear a mask at school and on the bus for 14 days, and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
- Classrooms can now be reorganized so that student desks can be in pairs or groups. For our younger students, carpets are now back in classrooms as well.
- Vaccination disclosure policies are no longer needed.
- There are now no restrictions to visitors to schools. Anyone coming to the school will be allowed entry to the school office where they will be required to sign in.
- Cohorting and distancing will no longer be required. Students will now remain outside before school and can intermingle at recess.
- Bathrooms can now be used as needed (not by classroom).
- The Grade 6 Leaving Ceremony will take place in person this year (June 28th in the first block).
- Some of our signage will be changing, to reflect optional masks, no cohorting and no longer a need for social distancing.
What’s the same………?
- At any sign/symptom of illness, students will be taken to the isolation room and parents will be contacted. Students and staff continue to need to stay home with any sign of illness.
- Daily screening is still required (however you no longer need to do the attestation).
- Rapid Antigen Tests will continue to be available for students and staff who may have symptoms of illness.
- When cases are identified in the school, the exposure letter will still be shared with families (classes, before/after school care and school busses) and staff will still be notified.
Appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette must continue to be promoted and integrated throughout the school day.
- Schools and school vehicles will continue with enhanced cleaning protocols in place.
- We will continue to implement ventilation best practices which includes use of standalone HEPA filter units in occupied Kindergarten classrooms and in all occupied learning spaces without mechanical ventilation.
Pathway to Stewardship and Kinship
Pathway to Stewardship and Kinship promotes and supports healthy childhood development, community connection and environmental stewardship through building an early and ongoing relationship with nature.
For more information, feel free to visit their website at: https://pathwayproject.ca/
This week, we'd like to offer a few activities that you can complete at home as a family. Check out the Rain Art and Tug of War activities that can be found below!
Plant Goals Fundraiser
There are 3 ways to connect to the fundraiser:
- Use our special link: plantgoals.ca/khps
- Use the code KHPS at checkout
- Tell store staff to enter the code KHPS at the shop
When you visit using this link: https://plantgoals.ca/khps it will also show a little popup at the bottom of the site that says 10% is being donated.
Time to prepare for spring and have a little green added to your home! Please consider supporting the school with this great fundraiser.
From the KPR Board Office
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope everyone is enjoying a safe and restful March Break this week. As we prepare for the return of students on Monday, I wanted to take a moment to share with you again the updated guidelines provided by the province.
For the most part, there will be a return to pre-pandemic conditions in our schools next week, with a few notable exceptions: daily screening, masking when indicated by the school screening tool, and enhanced hand hygiene, ventilation and cleaning protocols.
It’s important to note that we will all have differing comfort levels about the removal of restrictions, and I want to stress once again our collective commitment to respect, empathy and kindness. Our schools will remain safe and inclusive environments where everyone’s personal choice about wearing masks is respected. Thank you for your continued patience and resilience as we adjust our daily routines once again.
This week I want to share a particularly timely and inspirational #WeAreKPR story with you. Students, staff, and community at Courtice North PS recently came together on short notice with an outpouring of love and kindness to show their support for the people of Ukraine. Truckloads of personal items were sent to Lviv, Ukraine, where they will go to children and families in need. Thank you to all of our schools who have participated in similar acts of kindness.
Enjoy your weekend,
Rita
KPR NEWS
Changes to Provincial COVID Guidelines for Schools
As announced by Dr. Kieran Moore last week, the following changes will take effect March 21.
- Masks will no longer be required for students, staff and visitors in schools, school board offices and on student transportation. The new guidelines around mask wearing applies to all school boards in the province, and is a provincial directive.
- KPR schools are mask-friendly environments. Our schools will remain safe and inclusive environments where everyone’s personal choice about wearing masks is respected. The government will continue to provide free masks for schools.
- Individuals will still be required to wear a mask when they are a household contact/close contact of someone with COVID-19 or COVID symptoms. The provincial school screening tool has been updated to reflect this requirement.
- Under current federal travel requirements, upon return from international travel, individuals must wear a mask in public spaces for 14 days (including schools and child care), and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
- Vaccination disclosure policies will be discontinued in school settings, which also removes this requirement for staff, volunteers and service providers in schools.
- Rapid Antigen Tests will continue to be available for students and staff who may have symptoms of illness.
- Cohorting and distancing will no longer be required in schools. Elementary students can play and learn together across cohorts, classes and grades, both indoors and outdoors. Shared spaces, such as libraries, school cafeterias, tech labs, theatres and music rooms can be fully utilized without distancing.
- Limitations on in-person gatherings and assemblies will also be removed. This includes spectators for events (arts, sports, ceremonies); therefore, schools can begin to plan and host in-person events, such as proms, graduation ceremonies, and assemblies.
Remaining Health and Safety Measures for the 2021-22 School Year
Daily Screening
Daily screening is still required and extremely important to help keep schools safe. Please do not come to school when you are ill, and follow all of the other directions outlined in the school screening tool. Verification of daily screening is not required and KPR’s Daily Screening Confirmation Form is no longer in use.
Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette
Appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette will continue to be promoted and integrated throughout the school day.
Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfecting
Schools will continue with enhanced cleaning protocols in place. Required supplies, such as disinfectant, will continue to be provided to school boards through the province.
Ventilation Measures
School boards will continue to implement ventilation best practices outlined in 2021:B14 School Ventilation. This includes use of standalone HEPA filter units in occupied Kindergarten classrooms and in all occupied learning spaces without mechanical ventilation.
Updated Isolation Requirements
The provincial school screening tool has been updated to reflect new isolation requirements for those exposed to COVID-19. There are many different situations. If you have questions, they can usually be answered by using the screening tool and reading the results carefully. In general terms, please note the following changes:
- Asymptomatic individuals who are close contacts of someone with COVID or a symptomatic individual in the community are no longer required to isolate, but must self-monitor for 10 days following last exposure. During the self-monitoring period, close contacts must wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings and avoid activities where they need to take off their mask (for example, playing a wind instrument in music class or playing high-contact sports).
- Asymptomatic household contacts of someone with COVID or a symptomatic individual are also not required to isolate if they are 17 or younger and fully vaccinated; 18 and older and have already received their COVID-19 booster; or tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days and have completed their isolation period. Asymptomatic household contacts who are not required to isolate are also required to self-monitor for 10 days following last exposure, as outlined above. Children under 5 who are asymptomatic household contacts are required to isolate for 5 days.
Virtual Learning for the 2022-2023 School Year
Families who wish to, have the ability to choose online learning for the 2022-23 school year. Our online programs will continue to follow the same basic structure students have followed this year. Registration for virtual learning for the 2022-23 school year is open until March 29, 2022. An option to return to your home school will be provided to students prior to school start-up in September 2022.
Virtual Learning for the Rest of this School Year
While the lifting of restrictions is a welcome change for many, some students and families may find this transition challenging. If there are families that would like to request a transfer to virtual learning, we will accommodate these requests as best we are able. Families who would like to switch to virtual learning should discuss with their home school during the week of March 21-25.
A few more things....
2. While the lifting of restrictions is a welcome change for many, some students and families may find this transition challenging. If there are families that would like to request a transfer to virtual learning, KPR will accommodate these requests as best we are able. Families who would like to switch to virtual learning should call Mrs. Sampson during the week of March 21-25.