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Wednesday May 27, 2020 

Reopening Plan

Dear Ross Road families, 

 
We would like to acknowledge the great amount of support that we have received from our families throughout this difficult time.  We appreciate the ongoing communications and all the work that you have been doing to help your child(ren) through this. We appreciate this partnership and look forward to continuing the hard work moving forward. We are exicted to welcome some of our students back to school next week.

As has been announced by the Superintendent, North Vancouver Schools will be reopening for voluntary attendance of students on June 1^st. BC's Restart Plan: K to 12 Return to Schoolsprovides detailed information about the plans for reopening, including FAQs for parents. Further school-specific details for Ross Road can be found on the FAQs document attached below. Please take time to review this resource. 

Staff have been working hard to ensure that proper protocols are in place to ensure the health and safety for everyone in the school, and we need your support and cooperation to help discuss these important safety measures with your child(ren) prior to coming to school. 

With the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer, the Ministry of Education has provided a framework for all schools to follow.

Social-Emotional Learning and Mental Health

The last few months have been filled with change, adaptations, challenges and bright spots. We learned to slow down, connect with each other in different ways and new skills.  We are now faced with another change in June: returning to school.  Similar to when Covid-19 began, there are likely some big emotions coming up. This is natural. As we enter into this new phase we need to try to do the following to support our children: acknowledge feelings, model coping strategies, communicate and offer ways to manage anxiety, discuss safety concerns and self-care. The school district has created a helpful tips guide for parents/guardians attached. You are encouraged to read it.

Please remember to communicate any concerns with school staff so we can make this shift easier for everyone, together.  

Health and Safety Protocols

The plans that are in place are designed to keep the school community safe and healthy. You play an integral role in protecting those around you.

Families are asked to:

• Assess their child(ren) daily. DO NOT send children to school if they have experienced or are experiencing any of the following symptoms in the last 48 hours: vomiting/diarrhea, cough/sore throat, runny nose, chest pain/body aches, temperature, if a family member or someone from their household is ill with Covid-19

• Remain outside the school. 
• Follow the schedules provided.
• Remind child(ren) to minimize physical contact with others.
• Send your child(ren) with a filled water bottle .
• Return any medications required that children need (which were sent home in April) will need to be brought back to the school.
• Call the school office first to make arrangements if you need to enter.
• Bring/return supplies (if they were taken home).
• Label personal items and remind them not to share.

In class we will have:

• More frequent clearning of schools, including classrooms and high touch areas.
• A strong focus on the daily routine of frequent handwashing. 
• Smaller class sizes, desk sepration, stagggered start and end times, including recess and lunch.
• No physical contact sports but more time outside with classmates.
• Limitations on assemblies and other large gatherings.

Children of Essential Care Workers and Priority Learners 

• Children of Essential Care Workers and Priority Learners will be provided the option of attending school full time Monday to Friday.  Please contact Mrs. Lechleiter if you require this support.
  
   K-5 Cohorts 

• Cohort A will be in attendance on Mondays and Tuesdays 
• Cohort B will be in attendance on Thursdays and Fridays 
• Wednesday will provide opportunities for educational continuity through remote learning from home 
  
   
  
  6-7 Cohorts(this includes Gr 6s in a Gr 5/6 classroom)

• Cohort A will be in attendance on Tuesdays 
• Cohort B will be in attendance on Thursdays 
• Wednesday will provide opportunities for educational continuity through remote learning from home 
  
   
  
  If you have indicated that you would like your child to return to school, please look for a communication from your child's teacher by the evening of Wedesnday, May 27 that will indicate which cohort your child has been assigned. 
  
   
  
  Staggered Start/End Times 

To minimize congestion in and around the school, we will be staggering start and end times, and recess and lunch times. Sibblings should try to enter at their scheduled time. If this is not possible they should enter at the latest scheduled time and exit at the earliest.

We are very excited to welcome our students back and know that safety is of the utmost importance. We also acknowledge that some of the changes in practice may cause stress as we reopen our school for in-class instruction. We know that the structures we have in place will support the safety of all staff, students, parents, and community members.  

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding. 

Respectfully, 

Kate Lechleiter, Principal                                           Jason Haywood, Vice Principal

FAQs.pdf

2020-05-27 Reopening plans.pdf

Restart Tips for Parents.pdf

Mandatory Health Assessment for Students.pdf