Dear ḰELSET Families:
As we ready ourselves for the coming year we have put a lot of time and thought into the health and safety of our students, staff, and families. ḰELSET’s health and safety committee met this past week and went over protocols set out by the district. Here are some key points as we move to welcoming our students next week.
Attached you will find a daily health check form. You will also receive a copy of this in the student forms that will go home with your child on their orientation day. Please review the form and keep a copy of it for your reference at home so that you can assess your child before sending them to school. We are asking that all families complete the form ONCE during the week of Sept. 14th-18th and return it your child’s classroom teacher.
We are requesting that parents not enter the school so that we can keep our ḰELSET community as safe as possible. Email is the easiest way for parents to connect with their child’s teacher. Parents, if something comes up, please phone Leanne Lawson (250-655-4648). If possible, Leanne will exit the school and meet you outside to assist you. If it is necessary for you to come into the school, we ask that you please wear a mask. There may be instances when you need to see the classroom teacher for a pre-arranged visit. Please enter your child’s classroom by their exterior door and wear a mask.
In the mornings, please drop your child off as close to bell time as possible. We ask that you please allow your child to walk by themselves to their exterior door and wait for their teacher. We will have extra staff on duty in the mornings to ensure your child’s safety. Please create a designated pick up place for your child for after school so that they know where to meet you.
If your child is showing symptoms of Covid 19, we kindly ask that you keep them at home and talk to your family physician or call 811. If your child develops symptoms of Covid 19 while at school, we will phone you and ask that you pick up your child from school and receive further direction from the health authority (811).
Every child in the school has been placed in a cohort with a maximum number of 60 people. In most cases, this is another class at the same grade level. These two classes may get together during class time to work on activities. The cohorts will remain together for outside play time.
ALL ḰELSET staff will complete a health and safety orientation on September 8th.
Every child will review health and safety protocols on their orientation day with their classroom teacher.
Students in Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 will go outside to play from 11:14-11:44. Grade 3, 4 and 5 students will eat their lunch in their classroom at that time. From 11:44-12:14, Grade 3, 4 and 5 students will go outside to play and Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 students will eat their lunch.
The outside play space has been divided into 5 areas: the basketball court, playground equipment, field area, gaga ball courts, and the spider climber area. Each cohort will have one day per week at each designated area. Students will have the opportunity to experience all areas each week.
A reminder that bus transportation starts on Monday, September 14th. You must register your child for the school bus. A seating plan is being created for each bus and students will have an assigned seat that they will occupy; students that get off the bus first will be seated at the front of the bus. ḰELSET staff will load students onto the bus in seat specific order. For this reason, it is imperative that your child be registered to take the bus.
At this time, Saanich district can ONLY support school bus transportation for students to and from their homes. For health and safety reasons, students will not be able to ride the bus to after school activities or friend’s houses.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at school.
Thank you for your continued support of ḰELSET School!
Leila Sinclair-Wise