GUELPH – As students brace themselves for another school year, the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) is preparing for a “business as usual” return to school.
During the board’s monthly COVID-19 update, superintendent of school operations Brent McDonald acknowledged the board is entering a school year that looks a lot different from the previous two years.
“However, [it] does hold a lot of the same procedures and protocols in place as we’ve learned to adapt to our changing environments,” McDonald stated at the Aug. 30 meeting.
“While there are many lessons learned from the past two years of our pandemic response, we are also preparing for a much more regular return to business as usual for students.”
Activities like regular recess and outdoor breaks, use of cafeterias and nutrition programs, and regular running of emergency drills will resume.
As with last spring, extracurricular activities will continue, as well as school assemblies and having volunteers and visitors in schools.
Regular community use of schools will also resume, and booking will start up once schools begins.
“We know we must remain vigilant and also continue to implement many of the best practices we have learned over the past two years and maintain and promote healthy safe learning environments,” McDonald said.
He added the board will continue to monitor all illnesses and look at absenteeism trends, especially as schools head into the indoor season.
In an email, UGDSB spokesperson Heather Loney confirmed the board will not be posting daily absence tracking on its website as it did last year.
“Schools as usual monitor their attendance and will report to public health should they see any concerning trends,” Loney stated.
“For now, the daily absence tracking reporting tool on the website is not being continued.”
During the Aug. 30 meeting, McDonald noted the board will also once again offer both in-person and remote learning options for students.
There are roughly 135 students currently registered in the board’s elementary remote learning program, he confirmed, but could not provide enrolment numbers for the secondary program.
Whether an individual is learning in person or remotely, all students will have access to the board’s online learning program in case they’re required to access learning materials remotely, he stressed.
As for protective measures, McDonald said the board will continue to take a multi-pronged approach to keeping schools safe.
This includes recommended daily screening using the public health screening tool, testing when symptoms are suspected, staying home when not feeling well and practicing proper hand washing and sanitizing etiquette.
Personal protective equipment will be readily available for staff and students who chose to wear them and the board will also continue to provide and encourage the use of resources such as hand sanitizer in schools.
Cleaning protocols will still be in place and the board will ensure HEPA filters and ventilation measures are functioning properly.
Rapid antigen tests will also continue to be made available.
“Following these measures, we know will help with pressures in schools, including student and staff absences and staff shortages,” McDonald said.
The board will also make sure masks are available and “continue to support students, staff and visitors to our schools and respect their individual choices about masking.”
Schools will be encouraging any students who present symptoms of COVID-19 while at school to wear a mask and distance themselves from others until they can be picked up.
“The past few years have seen our doorways, our hallways and websites full of instructions, protocols and new requirements for students and staff as we implement these protocols to keep our individuals in our buildings safe,” McDonald explained.
“Many of these best practices have become standard procedures and will still require reminders, refreshers and education …
“However, our focus this September is also on welcoming students back and engaging them back into school life.”
