Updated Alberta Health Services Documents - October 29, 2020
On October 29, 2020, the Provincial Medical Officer of Health updated a number of key documents and introduced a new Alberta Health Services (AHS) website to help parents and the educational community navigate through challenging times. Of special note are two new/updated documents, the Screening Guidelines and also When Your Child Has Symptoms, which can be viewed here:
Recent Government of Alberta announcements have indicated that Alberta School Divisions, including Elk Island Catholic Schools Division (EICS), will be entering School Relaunch Scenario 1 when classes resume this fall. As a school community, we are excited to welcome our students and staff back to in-class learning.
This means that our students, families, and staff will be returning to classrooms with health measures in place. Some of these measures will include;
Daily health screening of all students and staff,
Enhanced cleaning protocols in all schools and Division building;
Mask use for students in grades 4 to 12, as well as all school staff, will be mandatory when school returns for the 2020-21 school year. Staff will be required to wear masks in all settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained, and students will be required to wear them in all shared and common areas, such as hallways and buses but are strongly encouraged to wear maks at all times. Mask use for kindergarten to grade 3 students will be optional but is strongly encouraged.
Alberta Health recommendations around physical distancing when possible;
Prompt pick-up or departure of individuals who demonstrate symptoms while at school.
EICS and the Board of Trustees have been preparing for the safe return to school since the beginning of May. Many plans are already in place and we will be ready to resume operations and welcome students and staff into our school settings on September 1, 2020.
EICS believes that we have a collective responsibility to ensure that multiple layers of protection are in place in order to provide safe, caring, and welcoming learning spaces for our children and staff.
We appreciate the level of trust parents have in order to send their children into our care. EICS has always believed that it is important to consistently make information available to our community, and this has guided our work with COVID-19 from the outset.
In preparation for the 2020-2021 school year, EICS has created two documents to help parents prepare their families for back to school in this extraordinary school start-up. The first document is a re-entry plan for our schools which details the step- by- step processes we have developed to ensure the safety of our schools. The second document is a FAQ that will answer many of the questions that parents have. Both of these documents will be housed on the EICS Re-Entry to School pages on the EICS website at eics.ab.ca and will be updated with each new announcement. We know many parents are interested in programming options in EICS. The safe school re-entry has been our priority but are currently planning programming details and will have further information by the second week of August.
EICS Transportation is very mindful that we have an incredibly important job to transport students in a safe manner to and from school. We take this responsibility seriously, and even more so during this unprecedented and challenging time for everyone.
EICS prides itself on having very high standards for school bus safety in the province. We are also following the direction of the Provincial Medical Officer of Health and Alberta Education School Re-Entry guidelines to take additional measures to safeguard the well-being of our students and drivers for the upcoming school year.
Given the spacing restrictions on buses, social distancing on a school bus is extremely difficult to do. EICS Transportation has created some guidelines for families to review so as to limit the transmission of COVID-19 and keep our students and drivers safe during this time.
Children/students should not board the bus if they have symptoms of COVID-19. Be sure that the self-screening tool has been used each day prior to leaving for the bus
Students are to be monitored at the bus stop by parents or guardians to assist with social distancing and face masks while waiting for the bus.
All students grades 4 – 12 must wear a face mask prior to entering the school bus and must keep the mask on during the ride and at bus transfer sites. Students in Grades K – 3 are strongly encouraged to also wear a facemask.
Students who are not wearing a face mask and are in grades 4 – 12 will not be allowed entry into the school bus. Bus drivers will have a very limited number of disposable masks to hand out if necessary.
Please label your child’s cloth mask(s). This way, if left on the bus it can be properly stored and returned to them the next trip.
Students will be seated 2 – 3 per seat.
Students will have an assigned seat. The seating arrangement will be set with siblings seated together. The same seating arrangement will be for both am and pm routes when possible.
Students at the Bethel and St. Theresa transfer sites in Sherwood Park must keep their mask on the entire time.
All bus drivers will be cleaning the school bus after each bus run both morning and afternoon with an approved cleaning product as per AHS guidelines.
Drivers will also be wearing a mask and/or face shield when loading and unloading of the school bus. They will remove their mask/shield when the bus is in motion for proper visibility.
The drivers will do everything they can to ensure compliance and encouraging students to use their facemask and keep their hands to themselves. However, a driver’s first priority is on road safety.
Students who are not following the rules will be referred to the school Principal and may lose the privilege of riding.
Currently we have a shortage of substitute bus drivers and there may be times when a driver is ill and the route cannot run. We will notify parents as early as possible but in some circumstances, you may receive very short notice. As per Alberta Health Services protocols, absences may be for an extended period and routes may not be available during this time. Parents will be responsible for having a back-up plan.
If you have any questions about the re-entry plan for buses, please do not hesitate to contact the Transportation Department for EICS at 780-449-6480 or transportation@eics.ab.ca.
Updated - August 20,2020
Online Programming for EICS - Fall 2020
Our first priority is ensuring that our schools and classrooms are a safe and welcoming place for students and staff.
For various reasons, some families may not feel ready to send their children back to school in September. A child may have pre-existing health issues or simply want to wait until Covid-19 subsides. We know that you, as parents, will make the best choices for your children.
With this in mind, as an alternative to the regular classroom, EICS will also offer online programming for students from Grades 1 – 12 through St. Isidore Learning Centre. St. Isidore has been offering faith integrated online courses for Grades 7-12 students with dedicated teachers and following the Alberta curriculum.
If online programming through St. Isidore is desired, we ask that you first speak with your current school Administration Team. They will be available by calling the school as of August 21st. This will allow the Administration Team to have your child associated with a classroom should you wish to return to the regular classroom school at fall break or semester break. It also allows EICS and the school to address the necessary logistics.
By sharing this plan now with our parent community, we are confident that you can have those important discussions with your child and family members about what is the best option for your family.
Alberta Education - In Class Schooling to Resume September 2020
On Tuesday, July 21st the Premier of Alberta and Minister of Education announced that Scenario One of the relaunch strategy would be in place for September 2020. This means that classes will resume within our schools with precautions and increased cleaning in all school settings. For more information on this announcement, please refer to the Alberta Government News Release site located at:
Elk Island Catholic Schools will be communicating with our divisional school community in the next few weeks and will be sharing information via direct emails and placing all of our re-entry plans on the EICS website and school websites.
Alberta Education - Getting Ready for School 2020-2021
On Wednesday, June 10th, Minister of Education LaGrange released a number of documents that will guide the decision on whether classes will resume within our schools in September 2020. A decision will be made on August 1, 2020 and the Ministry of Education has created a website that has all the re-entry plans and specific information for parents.
Frequently Asked Questions – EICS Response to the Coronavirus Situation
UPDATE - May 1, 2020 - Statement from Minister of Education LaGrange As announced yesterday by Premier Kenney during the release of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy, the province has made the decision to not have students return to in-school classes for the remainder of the academic year. While I know many of you anticipated this decision, I do understand it is still difficult to hear. It is another example of the far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it has changed the lives of all Albertans in so many ways.
While the Premier touched upon concepts such as re-opening some schools on a trial basis, the possibility of summer school and coming back earlier than normal to regain some of the lost time, I want to be clear that no decisions have been made on any aspect of the re-entry plan. These items are only three of many considerations before us. Also, proposals that ultimately appear in the re-entry plan will be subject to approval from the Chief Medical Officer of Health and subject to the terms of collective agreements.
Thank you for all your efforts to manage this unprecedented situation as our students learn from home. I look forward to our continued collaboration as we shape the 2020-21 school year together. Please stay healthy and safe.
Why are classes cancelled across Alberta?
The decision to cancel classes was made by Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Minister of Education in an attempt to limit the spread of the COVID-19 Virus.
How long will this last?
The government has closed schools indefinitely, no other timeline has been given to school boards on when classes might resume.
Are we able to come to the school and pick up books, personal possessions and supplies? All schools in Elk Island Catholic began an organized approach to parents/students picking up books, personal possessions and supplies this week. This was done in a variety of ways - but was seamless and followed public health recommendations on not having more than 50 people in one area at a time. Should you require necessary medical supplies that are at the school, please call your school to make immediate arrangements for pick up.
What is going to happen with my child's schooling?
On Friday, March 20, 2020, Alberta Education released the Continuing Student Learning framework which outlines guidelines on how students across Alberta will learn while in-school classes are cancelled due to the provincial health emergency. We have attached a PDF version of the Alberta Government release as a separate document on the EICS website. If you want to view the release online, please click on: Alberta Government Continuing Student Learning Release- March 20
Elk Island Catholic Schools is committed to continuity in programming for all students and has been working towards this new way of offering at-home learning opportunities.
Staff have been reaching out to their students this week since the cancellation of classes. Programming will begin for students online early in the week of March 23. (March 30th in Camrose as next week is Spring break)
Resources for parents:
Parents may want to supplement student learning by providing their children with additional resources. The following provincial resources are available to parents:
LearnAlberta.ca: more than 4,000 digital resources aligned with Alberta’s K-12 curriculum.
What about Provincial Achievement Tests? All Grade 6 and Grade 9 provincial achievement tests are cancelled.
What about Diploma exams? All Grade 12 diploma exams are cancelled. Under special circumstances, students can request to write a diploma exam. Students wishing to do so should speak to their teacher and school administrator.
My child is really anxious about all of this, what can I do to help? Your attitude influences their attitude and behaviours. Spending positive time with them is the best strategy. School staff will be checking in with students and suggesting some wellness activities.
While there are lots of disruptions, there are lots of routines that are still safe to do including being outside, playing with others, quality family time, reading books, learning new things on their own.
Will fees (i.e program fees, busing fees etc) be refunded? We have received a few questions regarding fees and refunds for the remainder of the year. We appreciate that during this time of uncertainty, families are looking for clarification and direction on all impacts of class cancellations.
Similar to all school divisions across the province, we are currently waiting for Alberta Education direction as to if and when the school will reopen prior to September 2020. Once we receive further notice from the province, the Finance Department will work with School Secretaries and EICS Transportation to process credit or refund to student accounts. As soon as EICS has further information on this, we will certainly share this with all of our families. Once again, we want to thank everyone for their patience as we work together to best support our students during this time.
What is happening to my child's registration in the fall?
We are accepting online registrations for the 2020-2021 school year.
Summer School Registrations
We are accepting registrations for summer school. However, the delivery method of the courses remains an open question leading up to the start of the first semester, based on directives from Alberta Health Services. If you need more assistance or have questions, please contact (780) 449-6463.
What about graduation?
We recognize the importance of these events in the lives of our students and families. Decisions regarding graduations will occur at a later date.
Parent Fact Sheet- FAQs - March 17 PM
EICS Parent Fact Sheet Frequently Asked Questions – EICS Response to the Coronavirus Situation
Why are school classes cancelled across Alberta?
The decision to cancel classes was made by Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Minister of Education in an attempt to limit the spread of the COVID-19 Virus.
How long will this last? The government has closed schools indefinitely, no other timeline has been given to school boards on when classes might resume.
Are we able to come to the school and pick up books, personal possessions and supplies? Many schools have already communicated with the parent and student community on how and when this will be done, if you haven’t yet received a notification, you will be hearing from the school in the next few days. Please note, it will be important to follow the schools’ direction in order to maintain social distancing during this process.
Should you require the necessary medical supplies that are at the school, please call your school to make immediate arrangements for pick up.
What is going to happen with my child's schooling? Alberta Education has committed that all students will receive final grades and that students will progress to the next level. Elk Island Catholic Schools is committed to continuity in programming for all students.
Staff are working at making the transition in light of class cancellations. You can expect to hear from your child’s teachers soon if you haven’t already. Programming will begin for students online early in the week of March 23. (March 30th in Camrose as next week is Spring break)
What about P.A.T and Diploma exams? Grade 6 and 9 Provincial Achievement tests have been cancelled. Alberta Education has committed to moving forward with necessary Diploma exams. We are awaiting more information on how this will move forward from Alberta Education.
My child is really anxious about all of this, what can I do to help? Your attitude influences their attitude and behaviours. Spending positive time with them is the best strategy. School staff will be checking in with students and suggesting some wellness activities.
While there are lots of disruptions, there are lots of routines that are still safe to do including being outside, playing with others, quality family time, reading books, learning new things on their own.
Will fees (i.e program fees, busing fees etc) be refunded? Currently, we are working with Alberta Education to get clarity and direction. It will likely take some time. Once details have been confirmed, the school will update parents.
What is happening to my child's registration in the fall? We are still accepting online registrations for the 2020-2021 school year.
What about my child’s specialty class? (Foods, Art, Work Experience etc.) Classes have been cancelled, however, programming continues. What this means for specialty classes remains to be seen, the immediate focus will be on the core course offerings.
What is happening with Summer School 2020 Registrations? We are accepting registrations for summer school. However, the delivery method of the courses remains an open question leading up to the start of the first semester, based on directives from Alberta Health Services. If you need more assistance or have questions, please contact (780) 449-6463.
What about Graduation events? We recognize the importance of these events in the lives of our students and families. As classes are cancelled indefinitely, under the current Alberta Health Services directive, we are not able to communicate any decision in regards to graduation activities at this time.
March 17 AM Update - EICS Response to Coronavirus
Alberta Education and Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health have directed all Alberta schools, including Elk Island Catholic Schools, to indefinitely cancel classes in all schools across Alberta. This decision puts students and families first.
In the coming week, Elk Island Catholic Schools will join other K-12 education partners across Alberta to determine learning supports for students to meet their educational needs during this time.
As this planning continues, we ask parents to understand learning plans and resources will be prepared and distributed to students and families at a later date to be confirmed. Alberta Education has directed all Alberta school divisions to assist in the development of a coordinated solution to provide educational programming to students outside of schools. This will take time to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the delivery model is well planned and implemented.
At this time, we continue to urge parents not to come to schools to gather books, resources or personal items of students until directed by the School Administration. A process is being developed for access to student belongings and the school will communicate those details when available.
We recognize that this will be a challenging transition for students and families, as it is for teachers and school staff. We will endeavour to share information as it becomes available.
March 16th Update - Next Steps in EICS
Good afternoon everyone,
We know that parents have many questions about their child’s educational programming since the Government of Alberta cancelled classes indefinitely, on March 16th at 4:30 pm.
As a province, all school divisions are working collectively with Alberta Education and other stakeholders to ensure a consistent approach. More information regarding the delivery of student programming will likely occur next week.
A question and answer sheet will be available on the EICS Divisional website located at www.eics.ab.ca once these answers have been received. These are unprecedented times we are facing as a school community, and I want to personally thank our EICS School Community for their understanding as we work to keep our community safe.
God Bless and stay well.
March 15th Update - All Classes in EICS Cancelled
Dear EICS community,
As per the direction of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Minister of Education effective immediately all classes within the Elk Island Catholic School Division are cancelled indefinitely. All students are expected to stay home. All licensed child-care and after school centres are also closed immediately.
Due to the seventeen new cases confirmed in the last 24 hours, Dr. Hinshaw, the Chief Medical Officer of Health said that it has become clear that it would be challenging to implement health recommendations in schools like social distancing and proper cleaning protocols.
Here are the facts as we know them at this time, but expect further information over the next few days:
All Elk Island Catholic Schools are now closed to students indefinitely.
No buses will be operating.
Teachers and other school staff are expected to report to work at their school.
Gr. 6 and 9 Provincial Assessment Testing is cancelled.
Diploma exams essential for post-secondary acceptance will continue and the Alberta Government is confident that every student who is eligible to graduate from Grade 12 this year will graduate.
All students will receive a final mark and students will progress to their next grade level next year.
More information for parents will be posted once it is available.
Please make all necessary childcare arrangements.
Coronavirus Update - March 15, 2020
EICS Fact Sheet 4 - Parent and Community – March 15, 2020
Dear EICS community,
We apologize for the length of this messaging, but given the complexity and importance of clear communication regarding the risk of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we strongly urge you to read this information in its entirety.
We thank you for your ongoing understanding and cooperation as we continue to work together to ensure the safety of our students, staff and families.
In addition to this document for parents/guardians, a comprehensive handbook has been developed and distributed outlining these directives to all Elk Island Catholic Schools staff.
After direct consultation on March 14, 2020 from Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health, and Alberta Education, all schools and school division facilities have been directed to adhere to the following:
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Directs All Alberta Schools to Remain Open
“What is important to know is that school closures are not universally agreed on as an effective intervention to prevent spread. In some other provinces that have chosen to close schools, they have not taken the other aggressive measures we announced yesterday.
"It should be noted that the World Health Organization does not recommend school closure as the only way to prevent spread in the age group of young children. Instead, they also offer a safe schools checklist which describes the ways that school environments can be kept as safe as possible for students, teachers and staff.
"Given the current situation in Alberta, the fact that any school closure would need to be in place for months, not weeks to be effective, and the fact that students may still be at risk of spreading infection in other settings besides schools, I have advised that school closures not be implemented at this time.
"To be clear, schools, daycares and post-secondary institutions can remain open.”
— Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health, statement Friday, March 13, 2020.
Zero Tolerance Directive Regarding Student and Staff Illness
Parents/guardians of students/children and staff should be informed that by the direction of Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health there is zero tolerance for children or staff with any respiratory symptoms attending schools or school division facilities across Alberta. This includes Elk Island Catholic Schools.
Any student or staff member with respiratory symptoms, such as a cough, mild cold, or flu-like symptoms (e.g. fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and including symptoms that may seem like a mild cold) must inform the school immediately and remain home for 14-days while they monitor their symptoms.
In the home, parents are urged to closely monitor their children for possible respiratory symptoms such as cough or symptoms of a mild cold, or flu-like symptoms. This is crucial, as students with symptoms can then be identified early and remain home, before riding the morning bus or being dropped off at school. Again, if symptoms are present in a student, they must remain home for 14-days while those symptoms are monitored.
Teachers and school staff are urged to closely monitor their classrooms, and if any student is having respiratory symptoms such as cough or symptoms of a mild cold, or flu-like symptoms the steps below should be followed. The same steps should be followed if a staff member begins to experience respiratory symptoms.
If a student, child or staff develops respiratory symptoms while at school, they should be removed from the school environment.
Schools and school facilities promptly separate the student/child or staff with symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and including symptoms that may seem like a mild cold) in an area separate from others, with adequate supervision until they can go home.
To help prevent transmission, the most important steps are to reinforce strict respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene practices and to have the ill student/child or staff stay two meters away from others. If possible, the student should be placed in a separate room from other students/children with a closed door. Any rooms they have been in while symptomatic should be cleaned and disinfected before others enter them.
Schools must notify parents/guardians if their child begins to experience respiratory symptoms while at school and arrange for immediate pick up.
Students and staff must remain home for 14 days, regardless of changes in symptoms over that time. If symptoms have improved, parents must contact the school to update the school upon the end of the 14 day period.
If symptoms persist past the 14-day period, please consult with your school before your child returns.
Since younger children and children with special needs may not always be able or willing to identify or disclose symptoms, they should be closely monitored by staff for symptoms.
Students or staff returning from travel outside of Canada
Parents/guardians of students/children and staff are informed that by the direction of Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health that, as of 3:30 pm March 12th, any student or staff member who returns from travel outside of Canada must contact the school to notify of their return, and as directed by Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, self-isolate for 14-days before returning to school or school division facilities.
During self-isolation, monitor for the development of any possible symptoms. If possible COVID-19 symptoms do develop, please notify Alberta Health by phoning 811.
If students or staff are tested for COVID-19, those who test negative will be advised individually by AHS about a return to school and work.
Important Considerations:
If your family is planning travel outside of Canada for March Break, and that travel includes an EICS student, that student will have to self-isolate for 14-days starting upon your return home. The student WILL NOT be able to return to school until that 14-day self-isolation expires.
If parents or family members have travelled outside of Canada, but your child or a related staff member has not, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health advised that the child and staff member can still attend school or work. If any symptoms develop they will then be subject to the same 14-day period away from school and school division facilities.
Large Gatherings
Until further notice, the following events should be cancelled:
Events with more than 50 attendees that involve international participants, critical infrastructure staff, seniors, or other high-risk populations, such as immune-compromised individuals.
Large events with more than 250 attendees, including sporting events, school assemblies, and community events.
School administrators will be taking steps to ensure that no more than 250 people are in the same room at any given time.
Proper Hygiene and Precautions
A new virus such as the COVID-19 can create anxiety and be difficult for students/children to understand, especially if someone in their school or family is sick, or they see or hear troubling messages on the radio, internet or television. It is normal for students/children to feel worried or nervous and have questions. All staff in schools and parents at home can support children by doing the following:
Reassure students/children about their personal safety and health. Telling students/children that it is okay to be concerned is comforting. Reassure them they are safe and there are many things they can do to stay healthy:
Hand washing: Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after coughing or sneezing.
Cough/sneeze etiquette: Cough and sneeze into arm or tissue.
Stay home when sick: Students/children should tell parents if not feeling well.
make a plan to stay home from school.
Keep clean: Keep your hands away from face and mouth.
As referenced in a previous communication, additional sanitation measures have been taken across all schools, division facilities, and EICS Transportation vehicles. These measures include:
Our custodians have increased their cleaning and sanitizing practices at all schools and sites and transportation vehicles in Elk Island Catholic Schools and buses.
Custodians are sanitizing all high-touch areas in our schools to help prevent the spread of germs
Custodians will wipe down/sanitize door hardware, handrails, drinking fountains, telephones in common areas and other high-touch areas as they move throughout their schools
NOTE: Enhanced sanitizing is planned over the March Break by EICS staff.
Actions to be Taken if there is a Confirmed Case of COVID-19 in a School
School and Division administration will continue to work closely with local public health officials to determine the best course of action for schools. That includes close collaboration on decisions about facility closures or cancellation of large events.
IMPORTANT: Alberta Health has directed that schools are not expected to make decisions about the closure or canceling events on their own.
This is generally done under the direction of local public health officials in collaboration with the sites that are impacted. Schools and Division facilities can determine what events may need to be cancelled and seek specific public health guidance in advance about precautionary measures for these events.
If an ill student or staff member attended school prior to being confirmed as a COVID-19 case
● AHS or public health officials, depending on the location, would conduct contact tracing of the case and in consultation with the Medical Health Officer, inform decisions about appropriate public health measures for staff and/or children/students that were at risk of exposure, including instructions about self-isolation (staying at home) or self-monitoring. Local health officials will work directly with the school/school authority administration to determine the best course of action and this may or may not include a school closure.
● Local health officials may recommend temporary school dismissals if a student or staff member attended school prior to being confirmed as a COVID-19 case. AHS Public Health recommendations for the scope (e.g., a single school, a full district) and duration of school dismissals will be made on a case-by-case basis based on the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 and information about cases in the affected community.
Schools should work with the local Public Health department and other relevant leadership to communicate information about the possible COVID-19 exposure appropriately. In such a circumstance, it is critical to maintaining the confidentiality of the child/student or staff member. EICS has had daily contact with our AHS zone office and will continue to do so.
If a child/student or staff member has been identified with a case of COVID-19, school administrators will receive guidance from AHS Public Health about when students and staff should return to schools and what additional steps are needed for the school community. In addition, children/students and staff who are well but are taking care of, or sharing a home with, someone with COVID-19 will receive instructions from public health officials as to when they can return to school/child care and other follow-up instructions (e.g., enhanced cleaning, disinfection and hygiene practices).
Coronavirus Update - March 13, 2020
Dear EICS Community,
We are striving to keep everyone up to date as much as possible on how EICS is effectively dealing with coronavirus pandemic throughout our division. Moving forward, instead of relying of messaging via emails, we will be sharing all updates directly as they become available throughout the day on our EICS website on the coronavirus page located at: https://www.eics.ab.ca/coronavirus-information-in-eics
School Closures At this time, the Alberta Health Services (AHS) Chief Medical Officer of Health has not called for any schools or daycares to be closed.
Guests/ Visitors/ Parents in our School On Thursday, March 12th, the Alberta Health Services Chief Medical Officer of Health updated protocols regarding the Coronavirus and how to keep our communities as safe as possible. One of these recommendations involves new public health restrictions involving more than 250 attendees. In compliance with this, Elk Island Catholic Schools is ensuring our school and staff safety by reducing visitors to our schools by having our schools open to students and staff only. This will take effect on Friday, March 13th.
This will impact the following: 1. Schools within EICS will be open to staff and students only. Parents and other guardians may come to the office to collect a student/drop off items, but are not to be allowed further into the school.
School functions will only be open to staff and students.
Any events within a school (sporting events; theatre productions; facility rentals by outside groups; open houses for schools;) will be postponed until further notice.
The School Principal will either postpone the Student-led conference / Parent-teacher interviews to a future date or staff may contact parents by phone to conduct the interviews. Each school will communicate how this may occur.
Sporting competitions between schools are to be postponed until further notice.
Field trips are to be postponed to a later date or cancelled.
Before and After School Care / Daycares - will be allowed to operate however, operators will be asked to bring the child to the front entry doors for pick up and drop off with the parent. *Please know that Strathcona County Boys and Girl Club will not be operating in either the Holy Redeemer Catholic School or Madonna Catholic School locations as of Monday, March 16, 2020.
We realize that this will impact our parents and community members and many volunteers that are such a welcome presence in our school. We are so appreciative of your understanding and cooperation as we all work together to continue to keep our schools and staff safe during this serious public health situation. TTravel
As of 3:30 pm, March 13th, Alberta public health officials are directing the following actions as a precaution:
All persons returning from travel outside Canada are now asked/directed to self-isolate for 14 days.
All persons who have flu like symptoms are asked/directed to self-isolate for 14 days.
Parents should call Health Link 811 for additional information.
In closing, we want to thank the entire EICS school community for their attention to these changing protocols and for everyone’s effort in keeping our community safe. Please visit eics.ab.ca for all up to date coronavirus updates for EICS.
Take care,
Shawn Haggarty Superintendent
Coronavirus Update - March 12, 2020
In light of recent increases with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Alberta, Elk Island Catholic Schools would like to share with our school communities and partners what we are doing within our division. Please know that things are changing daily during this time, and we will continue to update you with any new relevant information as it becomes available. We understand our students, staff, and families may have questions about coronavirus. We encourage you to refer to Alberta Health Services for the latest information. Health Information Contact 8-1-1 (Health Link) or your health care provider for questions about your personal health situation. Please understand that School divisions do not have the authority to make public health decisions, such as the closing of a school. If steps are taken in relation to a public health concern, it is at the direction of the Alberta Health Services and local health authorities. EICS is in regular communication with Alberta Education, Alberta Health Services, and school divisions across the province. At this time, school divisions have not been directed to take additional steps in relation to coronavirus.
Prevention There are two important ways to prevent and control respiratory viruses in school settings:
1. The first is for students and staff who are ill with respiratory illness symptoms (fever, cough, fatigue, and/or muscle aches) to stay home from school. If your child is not feeling well, we ask that you keep them home so that they can rest and recover. As always, remember to inform the school of the absence.
2. The second way to prevent and control respiratory viruses is the consistent practice of good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene. Good respiratory etiquette includes covering the mouth and nose during coughing or sneezing with a tissue or a flexed elbow and disposing of used tissues in a plastic-lined waste container, followed by hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is the washing of hands with plain soap and water, which is effective at removing visible soil as well as viruses.
Children in the school setting should clean their hands:
Before leaving home and on arrival at school.
After using the bathroom.
After breaks and sporting activities.
Before food preparation.
Before eating any food, including snacks.
Before leaving school.
If you have a younger child, support them at home by supervising and assisting in hand hygiene. In schools, instruction will be provided by staff. We are enhancing our communication to students about hand-washing, sneeze/cough etiquette, and preventing illness – including new signage and supplies at each site across the school division.
Travel During Spring Break Employees, families, and students who are travelling overseas for personal travel should be encouraged to regularly monitor the Government of Canada Travel Advisories. The current areas where health travel notices have been issued are China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, and Spain. Impacted areas may change and expand as the situation evolves.
If a student has visited a Grand Princess Cruise, Iran or China’s Hubei province in the last 14 days, it is recommended they self-isolate until 2 weeks have passed since that visit. This is recommended even if they are feeling well. Parents should call Health Link 811 for additional precautions and follow-up testing if their children have travelled to anywhere outside of Canada and experienced any of the following:|
- contact with someone who was suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 - were in a health-care facility - have symptoms, such as cough or fever
School Absence Notification If your child is sick, you will continue the usual process of using School Messenger app or website located at https://go.schoolmessenger.ca/#/home to let the school know. If you are clicking Influenza – this is solely for confirmed influenza/Coronavirus cases and the school staff will be following up with you so as we can record this in our public health screening protocols.
Field Trips and School Events As indicated by Alberta Health Services the current risk to Albertans is low and they have not called for cancellations of any large public gatherings. If this changes, our Division will respond accordingly with respect to field trips, school events, and extra-curricular events.
All school trips to International destinations have been canceled.
Cleaning and Disinfecting in our Schools and Facilities Regular cleaning and disinfecting of all high-touch surfaces and all EICS Transportation vehicles (school buses and other transportation vehicles) helps prevent the transmission of viruses. Our school division has asked our custodial services to focus attention on daily cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces within schools and facilities and all EICS Transportation buses and vehicles.
Food Sharing Students should not be sharing food, utensils, dishes, and water bottles or drink containers. Although this practice is important for preventing exposures to allergens, it is equally important in reducing virus transmission between children.
Mental Wellness A new virus such as the COVID-19 can create anxiety and be difficult for students/children to understand, especially if someone they know is sick, or they see or hear troubling messages on the radio, internet or television. It is normal for children to feel worried and nervous and have questions.
Support your children by reassuring them about their personal safety and health:
Limit their access to news and online stories about the issue.
Maintain a normal routine unless otherwise advised by an authority.
Encourage them to talk to you about their concerns.
Reassure them they are safe.
Advise them of steps they can take to stay healthy:
Wash hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (sing the ABC's to measure time), especially after coughing or sneezing.
Cough and sneeze into arm or tissue.
Stay home if they are not feeling well.
Keep hands away from the face and mouth.
Stay healthy by eating healthy foods, keeping physically active, and getting enough sleep.