Ali Howat, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
On Aug. 25, the Grande Yellowhead Public School District (GYPSD) board of trustees held their first meeting about the upcoming school year for 2021-2022.
Each of the five trustees came to share their opinions on how to make the re-entry to the school year as safe as possible for all staff and students.
鈥淲hile the government has eased their restrictions in regards to masking, we are confident that vaccinations and masks act as an additional layer of protection from the transmission of COVID-19,鈥� the board stated prior to voting on the re-entry plan.
As Education Minister Adriana LaGrange and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Denna Hinshaw stated, the province of Alberta is expecting to return to a regular school year, with most of the students returning to in-person, the caveat being that the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and requires everyone to be flexible.
Every family will continue to have options for at-home learning. These options include a Learn-At-Home distance option that allows online or a print-based resources. There is also a hybrid option for high school students to blend in-class and online.聽
GYPSD is now an official at-home education provider.
School offices opened on Aug. 23 for parents/guardians to have the chance to call and talk to the principal of their school for more information about the upcoming school year.
They can also learn about the alternative learning options available through the GYPSD CAMPUS if they are not ready for their children to return to in-person learning.
The board of trustees discussed the division鈥檚 specific health and safety measures at their past public meeting.
The board agreed on the following head and safety mandates for the 2021-2022 school year.
- the promotion and facilitation of hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
- staying home when sick
- maintaining ventilation
- ensuing regular cleaning and disinfection of high touch areas
- strongly encourage eligible staff and students getting vaccinated
- strongly encourage the use of masks in common areas and situations where physical distancing cannot be maintained
- support anyone who wishes to wear a mask while in school
- use of the Alberta Health Daily Checklist by all staff and students, and by any visitors wishing to enter a school or division building.
Visitors will still continue to be asked to make an appointment to speak to any of the staff members in the building.
As well, students will continue to stay in cohorts for easier contact tracing in the event that a positive case of COVID should occur.聽
The board will continue to monitor the COVID situation within each of the division鈥檚 communities and will continue to update the mandates as needed to ensure all staff and students have a safe and healthy school year.
GYPSD classes will resume Tuesday, Sept. 7, after the Labour Day long weekend.
