Dear Lake Vista School Parents and Guardians,
We are sending you some information about the process the school goes through if a staff member or student tests positive for COVID-19. We’d like you to understand the process.
When Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) determines that one of our student or staff population has tested positive for COVID-19, they contact the school as part of their investigation process for determining who may be identified as a close contact. There are several different ways someone can be considered a close contact of a patient with COVID-19:
- Someone who has had close/prolonged contact (within two meters) with the COVID-19 positive person.
- Someone who has shared personal items. (See link for more information.)
The SHA informs us that an individual attending or working at Lake Vista School has been found to be positive and that contact tracing has begun. If the individual is a student, they would have already collected some information from the parents, and based off of that information, may ask the school to provide additional information, such as classroom seating plans and contact information, to help with their investigation. They will also ask for a bus seating plan, if applicable, and information regarding whether or not they attend any other school programs, such as our Before and After program. From there they determine, in consultation with the ill student, who would be considered a close contact. Those that are deemed to be a close contact are then contacted and it is determined by Health, the next steps moving forward which may include testing or isolation.
Here at school we then begin our procedure for informing parents, via email. A letter is sent home to the class affected that states there has been a positive case found in your child’s classroom. The rest of the population will also get an email stating that there has been a positive case found in an individual attending the school. We are directed by Saskatchewan Health that, in keeping with privacy laws, that the names and/or classrooms of the student, staff, or siblings are not to be divulged to the general public.
Our facilities department, along with Administration, then determines the possible contact areas of the child/class within the school and a deep clean is completed.
We hope this clarifies for you the process that we have to follow in regard to both keeping people safe, informed, as well as protecting people’s privacy. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in following all the Health protocols and guidelines as we try to keep our school communities safe.
Chris Mason
Principal
Lake Vista School