Hello Tiger families,
We are excited to announce that Macphail students are able to return to in- person learning on Monday January 25 2021. Student transportation services, as well as before and after school programs will also resume on the 25th. As we return to school, the health and safety of our students and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to follow the guidance of public health and provincial direction in order to continue with this priority.
All of our health and safety protocols that were in place prior to the holiday break still apply. Please note that there have been a couple of changes:
- Grades 1-3 are now required to wear a mask at school and on the bus. This is in addition to the existing requirements for students in grades Grades 4-8 to wear masks. Students in grades 1-8 will also wear their masks for specified outdoor activities where physical distancing is not possible, or harder to do. An example of this would be when students are lining up to come inside. Kindergarten students are not required to wear masks but are encouraged to do so when possible.
To help support easy mask use when we return on Monday, please have your child(ren) practice putting their mask on and off and have them start to build endurance for wearing their mask by wearing it for bursts of time throughout the day. Please review with your child where they should put their mask when they go outside. Many of our older students put their mask in a zippered pocket or wear around their wrist. Our older students have also learned the importance of having a back- up mask (or two!) just in case a mask is misplaced or breaks.
- As an additional health and safety measure, we would also like to highlight the importance of students not congregating before school starts and returning directly home after school. Students who walk or are dropped off are asked to arrive at school at 8:45 and then head to their zone.
Many of you are probably wondering about laptop and Mifi stick returns. We would like to have all technology returned the week of the 25th. Please have your child return the equipment borrowed to the meeting room across from the office. If you have a young child and you’re worried about them safely transporting the equipment back to school, you can drop the equipment off next week between 3:20- 4:30pm, Monday- Wednesday. Please ring the bell at the front door for drop off. As always, please complete the COVID- 19 self- screener, space accordingly and wear a mask.
We can’t wait to see everyone back at school. Thank you for all that you did to support your child and for guiding them through online learning. It took a village to engage in this type of learning and we not only participated but we flourished. It went smoothly, students learned and we all grew. Way to go!
Yours in education,
Sue and Lisa