As we start the 2020-21 school year, we feel it would be prudent to share some of the direction we are getting from our partners in the Ministry of Health regarding when students display symptoms consistent with COVID-19 at school. For a current list of symptoms and the Provincial Self-Assessment Tool, please visit this link.
The direction we are currently provided from Health for the start of school is that all students who are at school who display with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will need to be sent home, and parents will be asked to call 811 and follow the directions provided from Public Health. Students should only return to school after they have been symptom-free for a minimum of 48 hours, though families should follow the direction of the Public Health Officials in these matters. Staff will have no discretion with following through with these directives, and have been told by Health that there should be no exemptions from this process for the initial start-up of the school year, even those students who may have allergy symptoms that align to COVID-19 symptoms. After the initial testing and response has been completed, specific accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis moving forward.
It is important that students not be sent to school when they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19. We urge families to self-monitor and have a plan in place in the event that these symptoms do become evident. We thank you for your patience as we work together to keep our students, staff, and communities safe.