After hearing the provincial school reopening plan at the end of July, the Mountain View School Division has had the past few weeks to finalize its plan.
The plan, in its entirety, is available by clicking here.
The divisional Re-opening Plan for the 2020-2021 School Year has been posted on our website. The plan is a framework that will guide schools in re-opening safely for students and staff in September. #mvsd_mb For details: https://t.co/S8Fa6H4TUC pic.twitter.com/ORolN2F8fB
— Mountain View S.D. (@MVSD_Schools) August 17, 2020
Some of the highlights include what’s happening with high school students, masks, and extra-curricular activities and music.
In Grandview, WCI, Ethelbert, and GPCI, schools that have less than 75 students will be regarded as one cohort, while schools that have more than 75 students will be organized into two cohorts and students will attend full time.
For Goose Lake, grade 9 students will attend full time. A blended learning approach will be implemented for grades 10-12. It’ll include a minimum of 50% per 6-day cycle for each student in September. Scheduling will also be set up to accommodate restoring full-time attendance on short notice if/when allowed by the Chief Public Health Officer.
At the DRCSS, a blended learning approach will be implemented because of the large enrollment. This approach will include a minimum of 2 in-class learning days per week for each student for September. Vocational programming will continue, although theory portions may be facilitated through remote learning. 50% of students will attend on Day 1 and 50% on Day 2 from Monday through Thursday. Fridays are designated as follow up/administration time for teachers to contact students and preparation time as teachers will be scheduled 100% of the time Monday through Thursday.
Students with special needs will attend full time at all high schools.
As for masks, the province announced last week that they strongly recommend students in grades 5-12 wear masks, as well as staff. MVSD echoes that sentiment, adding that younger students can wear masks as well. While on buses, masks will be required for all students in grades 5 and up. Boarding and exiting the bus will be done with physical distancing and assigned seats. Extra masks will be made available at all schools throughout the school year for students and staff who do not have their own.
On the topic of extra-curricular activities and music, no competition, including exhibition games, is permitted for any school sports. Field trips and all divisional athletics and tournaments, including intramurals, are suspended until further notice. For Music classes, MVSD will follow the directives of Public Health and Manitoba Education. Singing and choral programs will be suspended until Public Health declares these activities are safe in which to engage. Music teachers will move from class to class where possible. While band teachers may require students to move to the Band Room to keep programming viable.
MVSD Superintendent Dan Ward believes they’ll be in the best shape possible if the basic fundamentals are followed.
“That is, if you’re symptomatic, even with mild symptoms, stay home, screen. If the screen online on the shared health website says to get tested, get tested. When you’re in a school building or a division building, to social distance as much as reasonably possible to the greatest extent possible and if you’re assigned to a cohort, to stay within that cohort.”
Ward stresses the importance of communication.
“It’s one thing to put out a multi-page document with all sorts of resources -- but, there’s going to be questions and I just want to assure the entire MVSD community that when questions arise, to feel empowered to contact your school or contact the school division, or send us an email, a phone call, and we will answer those questions when they arise.”
Ward adds that they’ll consult with public health on any questions they aren’t sure about and then get back to whoever asked the question.
