​Dear Capilano Families, 

September has now arrived, and we are closer to being ready for the start of the school year. While we have had some unique challenges for our planning this year due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, we are confident that this will be a great year for Capilano students, staff, and the community. We know that some of our routines and procedures will look different, and new rules will be in place to support health and safety. We also know that we will continue to work with our Capilano PAC as partners to support a positive school year.  

Health and Safety 

A number of Health & Safety measures have been put into place to support safe learning environments and to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission at Capilano. Some of the health and safety messages in place include: 

• Students and adults who are sick are NOT to come to school, 
• Students and adults are to minimize contact and maintain physical distancing within the school, 
• Student and adults practice proper personal hygiene, including regular handwashing, 
• Custodial staff will practice enhanced cleaning protocols, 
• Access to the school will be limited and we will be actively managing movement within the school.  
• Please see below for more specific information for Capilano regarding staggered schedules. 

Staff Orientation Days (Tuesday, September 8 & Wednesday, September 9) 

The Capilano staff will be in school on Tuesday, September 8th and Wednesday, September 9th for two Orientation Days. Staff will be receiving Health & Safety training, instruction on new routines and COVID-19 protocols, guidance for incorporating Social Emotional Learning approaches into their instruction to support student mental health and refreshing skills on technical tools such as the MS Teams platform which will be used district-wide throughout the year. 

Student Orientation (Thursday, September 10th)  

All students will be assigned to classes, even if they might not be planning to attend school right away. As shared in our Future Communication section below, more information regarding class/teacher placements and school/class specific Health & Safety procedures will be shared with our parent community early next week. 

• Grades 1-7 Students will be in attendance on Thursday, September 10 for only 2 hours as per the Staggered Schedule below to receive their student orientation.  
  • 8:40 – 10:40 Grade 5, Grade 2, Grade 1 
  • 8:50 – 10:50 Grade 7, Grade 6, Grade 4, Grade 3 
• First day of regular classroom attendance for elementary school is Friday, September 11th. The Staggered Schedule below will begin as of September 11th. 
  • 8:40 – 2:50 Grade 5, Grade 2, Grade 1 
  • 8:50 – 3:00 Grade 7, Grade 6, Grade 4, Grade 3 
• Secondary Orientation attendance is spread out over Thursday, September 10th and Friday September 11th.  First day of regular classes for secondary school is Monday, September 14th 

All students in all grades (with the exception of Elementary Literacy Centre students) are encouraged to attend Student Orientation sessions next week at the time scheduled for their assigned class. This includes families of elementary students who are not planning to send their children to regular, in-person classes. 

• For families of elementary students planning to select the Transition Support Option, participation in the orientations sessions will connect students with their classmates and familiarize them with the routines that will be in place when they eventually return to school.  
• General information regarding the Elementary Transitions Support Option was sent by Superintendent Mark Pearmain to all elementary families on Wednesday, September 2nd. Further specifics about the Elementary Transition Support Option families will be sent out by schools. Families will be asked to confirm their selection of the Transition Support Option (deadline will be provided). Teacher support for those in this option will begin Monday, September 21st. 

Staggered Schedule for Capilano for the 2020-2021 School Year 

• Entry and Exit times will be staggered for students  
  • Round 01 – Drop-off at 8:40AM & Pick-up at 2:50PM 
    • Grade 5, Grade 2, Grade 1, Kindergarten  
  • Round 02 – Drop-off at 8:50AM & Pick-up at 3:00PM 
    • Grade 7, Grade 6, Grade 4, Grade 3 
• Entrance and Exit Procedures 
  • Entrance: All students line-up on the gravel field by their division number – maintain physical distancing as best as possible. Teachers will meet students outside on the gravel field and bring them in at the assigned time through their assigned doors. Based on grade and class, there are assigned doors and stairways for each class to use to help manage movement. 
  • If your child is late to school for their specific time or it is after 9:00AM, please use the front main entrance door (closest to the parking lot) and check-in with staff. If a parent/guardian needs access to the school, please call the front office.  
  • Exit: All students will be dismissed via their assigned doors and then meet their parents/guardians at the back of the school. 
• Recess and Lunch breaks will be staggered as well 
• During outside play at Recess and Lunch, plans are being developed to schedule grades into different areas of our outside environment in order to support physical distancing as best as possible 

Office 365 - MS Teams 

Parents are asked to familiarize themselves with the MS Teams platform as this will be how teachers will communicate directly with families and students, and will be the instructional delivery platform if the provincial COVID-19 response requires schools to move to either Stage 3 or 4 of B.C.’s Five Stage Framework for K-12 Education. Information regarding Office 365 - MS Teams can be found HERE. 

Future Communications 

• Kindergarten families will be receiving an email tomorrow with more specific information for the start of the school year, as it pertains to our Kindergarten students.  
• More information regarding the Student Orientation will be communicated from the school early next week. 
• They will also receive a communication from their 2020-2021 Classroom Teacher on September 9th welcoming them to their new class and with specific instructions about where to meet on the morning of September 10th. This will include child-friendly language regarding our Health and Safety procedures at Capilano. 

We are looking forward to welcoming in all our students into our school next week and beginning another wonderful year at Capilano Elementary. 

Yours truly, 

Doug Beveridge, Principal and 

Jeeniece Chand, Vice Principal