Quotes:

Stephanie Higginson, president, BC School Trustees Association –

“Getting students back into classrooms is the best way to grow their learning and maintain their connections to friends, teachers, school staff and the wider community. In-class instruction also ensures that students who need extra support receive it. As we enter into our new normal, we must strive to have students in school buildings whenever it is safe to do so. All school plans will be based on the most up-to-date health and safety protocols to keep students, staff and families learning safely in every community in British Columbia.”

Andrea Sinclair, president, BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC) –

“BCCPAC is certainly pleased that Premier Horgan has made the decision to reopen schools for all students in British Columbia. Parents are truly appreciative that a return to the classroom is voluntary and that while many parents will be sending their children back to their neighbourhood school, a significant number will continue with remote learning and re-evaluate as we head into the new school year. I have had numerous discussions with Minister Fleming and it is clear that the parents’ voice has been heard.”

Paul Faoro, president, CUPE BC –

“The government’s approach to fighting this pandemic has been focused, comprehensive and effective from day one of this public health emergency, and the supportive response of British Columbians has been amazing, helping make reopening schools possible. Obviously, the health and safety of K-12 workers and students is the top priority for everyone, and I want to acknowledge all our CUPE K-12 locals and all the partners in education across the province for the work they’re doing to ensure our members — and all education workers — can help reopen schools and make them the welcoming, inclusive and safe places they need to be.”

Jennifer Charlesworth, B.C. representative for children and youth –

“Schools and their teachers play an important role in keeping children and youth healthy and safe, in addition to meeting their educational needs. B.C. educators have worked hard to stay connected with their students and to support online learning. We are grateful to them and to the parents and caregivers who have encouraged their children’s ongoing learning and development. However, we have been concerned about the pandemic’s impact on children and youth who have lost access to the additional encouragement, support people and resources that are only available within school settings. I am very pleased that students who benefit from additional support will soon be able to return.”

Angela Clancy, executive director, Family Support Institute –

“The Family Support Institute is encouraged by the level of engagement and transparency the Ministry of Education has provided to stakeholders and families during this pandemic. As the return to in-class instruction unfolds across the province, we look forward to continued consultation to ensure families’ and students needs are met, and supports are provided with inclusion, equity and safety at the forefront of all decisions. We will continue to support families to seek equity and accountability in the education system for their children and look forward to working in partnership with all education stakeholders as we seek quality learning for all students.”

Sandra Menzer, chair, Provincial Child Care Council –

“We recognize and honour the important work that front-line child care providers are doing through these unprecedented times and we commend government for providing temporary emergency funding to ensure that these critical services will be there to support our communities as schools reopen and B.C.’s recovery plan is rolled out.”

Updated May 15, 2020

The delivery of education during the pandemic is guided by the following principles from the Ministry of Education:

• Ensure a healthy and safe environment for all students, families and employees.
• Provide the services needed to support children of essential workers.
• Support vulnerable students who may need special assistance.
• Provide continuity of educational opportunities for all students.

Updated health and safety measures are intended to support all K-12 employees, students, parents, administrators and school community members to be informed and feel safe in schools, while understanding their roles and responsibilities. Boards should also provide ongoing orientation and training as needed, to ensure everyone in school buildings is well informed of safety protocols.

Mass gatherings

While the provincial health officer’s order continues to prohibit gatherings of people in excess of 50, this does not apply to regular school activities, provided there are no more than 50 people in one area and they are practising physical distancing. Large assemblies of students will not be permitted.

Self-isolation and quarantine

If anyone entering school property has common cold, influenza or COVID-19-like symptoms, they must stay home and be tested for COVID-19. Clear policies must also be in place to ensure anyone experiencing these symptoms is isolated and sent home. They should follow directions provided by their health-care provider and self-isolate at home for 14 days, or until test results show they do not have COVID-19 or another communicable illness. If there is a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, contact tracing will be done to find out if it is a part of a cluster of cases or a local outbreak.

Cleaning protocols

Rigorous cleaning and disinfecting should be done according to the following guidelines:

• General cleaning and disinfecting of the premises should occur at least once a day.
• Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a day.
  • These include door knobs, light switches, toilets, tables, desks, chairs, keyboards and toys.
• Clean and disinfect any surface that is visibly dirty.
• Use common, commercially available detergents and disinfectant products and closely follow the instructions on the label.
• Limit items that are not easily cleaned (e.g., fabric or soft items).
• Empty garbage containers daily.
• Wear disposable gloves when cleaning blood or body fluids (e.g., runny nose, vomit, stool, urine). Wash hands before wearing and after removing gloves.
• Provide paper hand towels rather than hand dryers, and disable water fountains.

Hygiene

Clear hygiene protocols will be in place for employees, students and others entering and exiting schools, for school outdoor activities and student pickup and drop-off. Hand-hygiene stations should be set up at the school entrance, so everyone can clean their hands before they enter school property. Additional hand-hygiene opportunities should also be incorporated throughout the daily school schedule.

If sinks are not available, alcohol-based hand rub should contain at least 60% alcohol. Soap and water are preferred if hands are visibly dirty. Hand sanitizing supplies should be well stocked at all times including soap, paper towels and, when needed, alcohol-based hand rub with a minimum of 60% alcohol.

Clear protocols also need to be in place for the safe and healthy handling of all food items. Students or employees should not share food or personal items like phones, pens or pencils. Parents and staff should teach and reinforce these practices among students.

Physical distancing

Younger students should be supported to have minimized physical contact with one another, while older students and adults should seek to maintain a safe physical distance whenever possible. Everyone should avoid hugs and handshakes and ensure students are reminded to keep their hands to themselves.

Classroom and learning environment layouts should be adjusted to allow distance between students and adults. When needed, there should be staggered pickup and drop-off times, recess, snack and movements in the halls or other areas of the school building between classes. Steps should be taken to minimize the number of parents and caregivers or other non-staff adults entering school buildings.

Each board should work with its local municipalities to develop a common approach to opening playgrounds that follows the advice of the provincial health officer.

Transportation

Buses used for transporting students should be cleaned and disinfected. All buses must have a physical barrier between the driver and passengers, such as plexiglass. Students should have their own seat, when possible, unless the children live in the same household.

Respiratory etiquette

Students and staff should cough or sneeze into their elbow sleeve or a tissue and throw away used tissues and immediately perform hand hygiene. Everyone should be encouraged to refrain from touching their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.  

Personal protective equipment

Students and staff will not be required to wear non-medical masks. However, wearing a mask is a personal choice, and anyone who chooses to do so should be treated respectfully.  

The Ministry of Education has developed a five-stage approach: Stage 1 represents all students in all grades learning in the classroom, while still abiding by strict health and safety guidelines. Stage 5 represents a full suspension of all in-class instruction.

B.C. schools are currently at Stage 4, with close to 5,000 children of essential service workers and students with complex needs or those who require extra support receiving in-class instruction. In June, there will be a transition from Stage 4 to Stage 3 – where in-class learning is expanded for all students, while remote and online learning options continue to be available.

The aim is to begin school in September at Stage 1, if the risk of transmission is low and with the support of the provincial health officer. If there is an outbreak or a second wave in the 2020-21 school year, schools can move in and out of each of the stages to ensure the safety of students, their families and employees, while maintaining continuity of learning.

Education stages for K-12 students:

Stage 5

• Suspend all in-class instruction for all grades and students.
• Remote and online learning for all students.

Stage 4 (current stage)

• In-class learning for children of essential service workers, students with disabilities and students who require additional support, five days a week.
• Remote and online learning continues for most students.

Stage 3

• In-class learning for children of essential service workers, students with disabilities and students who require additional support, five days a week.
• Kindergarten to Grade 5 – part time, two to three days a week, with 50% of students at a time in schools. 
• Grades 6-12 – one day per week, with 20% of students at a time in schools. 
• Remote and online learning continues to be available for students.
• Parent/caregiver choice to return to in-class instruction.

Stage 2

• In-class learning for children of essential service workers, students with disabilities and students who require additional support, five days a week.
• In-class learning for all students in elementary school (kindergarten to Grade 7) on a full-time basis.
• In-class learning for secondary students (grades 8 to 12) on a part-time basis, with 40% of students at a time in schools.
• Remote and online learning continues to be available for secondary students.

Stage 1

• A return to full in-class instruction five days a week, while continuing to follow strict health and safety guidelines.

Based on the current epidemiology of COVID-19 in B.C., and the fact that children are at a much lower risk of developing COVID-19, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) advises child care providers should be encouraged to remain open or reopen, while supporting the health and safety of children and adults. Child care services should adapt as much as possible to implement public health and infection prevention and control measures, including staying home when ill, physical distancing, minimized physical contact, hand hygiene, frequent cleaning and disinfection, as described in this guidance.

Child care services are also encouraged to update their policies for children or staff who have symptoms of a common cold, influenza, COVID-19 or other infectious respiratory diseases to remain at home. Children or staff may return to the centre once they are assessed by their family physician or nurse practitioner and it is determined that they do not have COVID-19, and their symptoms have resolved.  

COVID-19 and children

According to the BCCDC, the COVID-19 virus has a very low infection rate in children. In B.C., less than 1% of children and youth tested have been COVID-19 positive. Most children are not at high risk for COVID-19 infection. However, children under one year of age, and older children with immune suppression and medical complexity are considered more vulnerable and at higher risk for illness. While children who are considered more vulnerable can attend child care, parents and caregivers are encouraged to consult with their health-care provider to determine if their child should attend child care if they are uncertain.

Children and youth typically have much milder symptoms of COVID-19. Many children have asymptomatic disease. However, there is no conclusive evidence that children who are asymptomatic pose a risk to other children or to adults. Evidence indicates transmission involving children is primarily limited to household settings and from COVID-19 positive adults to children. Children are not the primary drivers of COVID-19 spread in child care facilities, schools or in community settings.

Cleaning protocols

• General cleaning and disinfecting of the centre should occur at least once a day.
• Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a day. These include door knobs, light switches, faucet handles, table counters, chairs, electronic devices and toys. 
• Use of common, commercially available detergents and disinfectant products is advised. Toys and other items that cannot be easily cleaned (e.g., avoid plush/stuffed toys) should be removed. 
• Garbage containers must be emptied daily, at minimum.
• Wear disposable gloves when cleaning blood or body fluids (e.g., runny nose, vomit, stool, urine). 
• Clean and disinfect cots and cribs after each use, and launder crib linens between children. If parents are providing their own crib linen, the linens should be laundered and placed in a sealed plastic or washable bag before bringing to the centre. Do not shake the linens.
• Clean diapering stations after each use. 

Hygiene

Hand-hygiene stations should be set up at the entrance, so children can clean their hands when they enter. If a sink with soap and water is not available, provide hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, but keep it out of children’s reach and supervise its use. Additional hand hygiene opportunities should be built into the daily schedule. 

Centres should ensure they are always well stocked with hand-washing supplies, including plain soap, clean towels, paper towels, waste bins, and where appropriate, hand sanitizer. As children regularly forget about proper hand washing, staff and children should practise often and staff should model washing hands properly in a fun and relaxed way. Staff should also help young children with hand hygiene as needed.

Children should be shown and encouraged to cough or sneeze into their elbow sleeve or a tissue. Used tissues must be thrown away and children should then immediately perform hand hygiene. Practising “hands below your shoulders” will help young children not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Parents and staff can teach and reinforce these practices amongst children. Cloth/homemade masks are not recommended.  

Children and staff should not share food, drinks, soothers, bottles, sippy cups, toothbrushes, facecloths and other personal items. If meals or snacks are provided, children must have their own individual meal or snack. Reusable utensils must be cleaned and sanitized after each use. Snack or meal time should be staggered to allow spacing between children during meals. Parents and caregivers should only bring personal comfort items (e.g., stuffies) if they are clean and can be laundered at the end of each day.

Physical distancing

Staff should minimize the frequency of direct physical contact with children and encourage children to minimize physical contact with each other. Staff should also maintain physical distancing from one another. Younger children should be supported to have minimized direct contact with one another, while older children should be supported to maintain physical distance whenever possible. Children from the same household (e.g., siblings) do not need to maintain physical distance from each other.

Physical distancing strategies include: avoiding hugs and handshakes, regularly reminding children to keep “hands to yourself” and minimizing the number of different staff that interact with the same children throughout the day.

Children may be organized into smaller groups and/or spread out to minimize direct physical contact. Small group environments to reduce the number of children in a group, for example, setting up two or three areas for colouring or doing crafts is suggested. Individual activities or activities that encourage more space between children and staff are encouraged. Toys that encourage group play in close proximity or increase the likelihood of physical contact should be put away. Toys that encourage individual play should be kept.

Early childhood educators can help younger children learn about physical distancing and less physical contact by creating games that include basic principles, such as “two arm lengths apart.” Using books, individual games, video and online programs as a part of learning so children can sit independently and distanced from each other is another strategy. The distance between nap mats should be increased, if possible. If space is tight, children may be placed head-to-toe or toe-to-toe. Centres should have a separate, supervised rest area available for children who have symptoms of illness until they can be picked up and ensure these areas are cleaned and disinfected after the child has left.

More information on health and safety standards for child care, plus the latest COVID-19 related child care information is available at: www.gov.bc.ca/ChildCareCovid-19Response