Staff and student procedure during pandemic

BACKGROUND

During times of widespread pandemic, BSEC provides a safe, healthy, caring and respectful environment for staff, students, parents and the wider school community. The following procedures have been developed to give staff direction regarding rights and responsibilities based on the best information from AHS and in consultation with other school authorities. The school is committed to maintaining a balance between safety for the members of the school community and the rights to individual privacy.

PROCEDURES

Procedure prior to coming to school:
Staff will sign the “Fit for Duty” form and will administer daily self-assessment for monitoring COVID-19 symptoms. Staff will not report to work if they are unwell. Staff will monitor their health and if they are concerned that they may have COVID-19 they will arrange to be tested. If tests are positive, staff will stay at home until symptoms disappear and/or they are deemed recovered. Otherwise, if staff feel well, they will return to work.

Procedure if a staff person becomes ill with COVID-19 like symptoms during the school day:
Staff will be required to wear a mask in all situations where physical distancing is not possible. If staff feel unwell while at school, they will inform the Principal and leave the school.

Procedure if a student becomes ill with COVID-19 like symptoms during the school day:
Schools must keep records of a student’s known pre-existing health conditions.

If the staff notice or are informed of a student becoming ill during the school day, with COVID-19 like symptoms, the student will be asked to wear a mask if they are not wearing one. They will be asked to return home and given bus tickets to do so. They will be encouraged to wear a mask during their travels home for their own and others safety and to arrange for testing. They will inform the school if the results show that they are positive for COVID-19 so that we can take the necessary precautions.

 

Procedure if there is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in family members or close contacts of any member of the school community: 
If any member of the school community has had close contact with another person who has tested positive for COVID-19 they will need to get a rapid response COVID-19 test. If the results of this are negative, they will return to school. If positive, they would inform the Principal and follow the advice of the CMO.

If a member of the school community resides in the same home as someone testing positive with COVID-19 they would self-isolate and inform the Principal. The Principal would inform the Superintendent and CMO and further actions would be directed by this office. If the staff member is well but has been exposed and is in a period of self-isolation, they may be asked to work from home and do such duties as set out by the Principal.  They would need to take the rapid response COVID-19 test prior to coming back to school.
Staff would be paid and would not use sick days for any self-isolation period due to contracting COVID-19.

Pre-existing health conditions: 

Staff and students must inform the Principal of pre-existing health conditions which may exhibit similar symptoms of COVID-19. If anyone is exhibiting symptoms as the result of a pre-existing condition which are consistent with COVID-19 symptoms, they must get tested for COVID-19 to secure a baseline measure of health.

AHS may be supplying more directives regarding which pre-existing conditions which may put people at more risk for serious outcomes as a result of COVID-19.

International /Domestic Travel during COVID-19 
Federal and provincial rules around travel appear to be in flux. The prevailing thoughts are that travel will be based on the proof of vaccination status.
Staff’s decisions to travel will be based on their own vaccine and health decisions.

If, however, staff choose to travel and are exposed or contract COVID-19, they will need to be in self-isolation until such time as they have recovered and pose no health risk to others. This period of time should not conflict with their duties to the school and any self-isolation would need to be completed prior to the time that they are scheduled to return to work.

Care-giving responsibilities 
If a staff member is the primary caregiver of dependents, whether that is children or vulnerable parents/family members the following will apply:

All staff are required to report to work. If a staff person is the primary caregiver for a dependent person, and that person is required to be at home, the staff person must first consult with the Principal and apprise him/her of the situation to see if there can be an option devised to address this issue. Although School Admin will attempt to be reasonable and flexible in these situations, it will remain the responsibility of the staff person to arrange this care and to be available for their work in the school. Children will not be allowed to accompany their caregiver to school.

Understand that the school Administration has the right to question staff regarding these issues to fully understand the situation and to make the best decision regarding the health and safety of the staff and the school community.
Professional Conduct 
If a staff person is concerned about another staff person exhibiting symptoms of illness that they feel may put them or the school community at risk for illness, they must first address the issue with the staff person prior to consulting with School Administration. Staff must follow their professional conduct guidelines.

Vaccinations

Although Boyle Street Education Centre strongly endorses vaccinations as a means to manage the COVID-19 illness and keep our students and staff safe, this remains a personal decision. The school will sign up for the school vaccination program and a first vaccine would be available for students and staff on-site once this program begins.

Refusal for work 
A staff person has the right to refuse work if they deem it to be unsafe. The staff person would need to specifically identify the hazards they deem unsafe and the school would then devise plans to reasonably mitigate these hazards.  If the School Administration can show that they have taken all of the concerns seriously and have addressed these to the extent that is possible, being reasonable, flexible and diligent, and if AB ED has identified Scenario 1 (near normal), the staff person is required to be at work.

School Administration is committed to being reasonable and flexible when addressing staff concerns regarding COVID-19.

Contact Tracing 
The school will keep records of staff and student movement in the building to aid in close contact tracing should there be an incident of a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school community. Students should be assigned seating in classrooms to help with this process.

Cleaning 

We now have more information about the COVID-19 virus and the information is that this illness is spread primarily through the air and not as much through contact with surfaces. We will continue with frequent cleaning of high-touch areas but will not be closing classrooms for cleaning in this school year.

Visitors 

At the present time, we will ask all of our visitors to be masked while in the school.