The Hastings Prince Edward District School Board is planning for the 2021-2022 school year.
The plan for the new year aims to make sure students are safe while attending in-person classes. Katherine MacIver, the Board’s Director of Education, says regular school attendance is essential to student well-being.
In line with the Ministry of Education directive, all school board employees, bus drivers and essential school visitors must provide proof of vaccination. If they are not, they must provide an official documented reason as to why they are not, and will be subject to regular COVID-19 testing. The Board will also offer vaccination clinics in school.
Masks will be mandatory indoors for students from grades one to twelve, and screening for COVID-19 will be done daily. Kindergarteners will be encouraged to wear masks, and mask-wearing will not be required outside. Staff will also have access to PPE in class and will be required to continue routine cleaning of the school.
Different grades will spend most of their time together and will be discouraged from mingling with other cohorts. Assemblies will not occur indoors, and extra-curricular activities will be allowed.