Level Orange restrictions are going into effect for schools across the province starting Monday, November 2.
Mountain View School Division superintendent Dan Ward explains what that means for us locally.
He says MVSD schools will remain open, and some additional measures will be implemented in the coming week.
Ward tells CKDM that despite the low cases in our health region, the MVSD has been preparing for this scenario.
“Changes will certainly happen, but will happen over the course of a number of days.”
Effective immediately, band programs will no longer be able to offer instruction for wind instruments.
Field trips will have to be postponed or cancelled.
Extracurriculars are still allowed, but Ward says “there has to be an assurance that social distancing is followed when they’re not participating in the sport.”
The MVSD will be looking at expanding social distancing in schools, and ensuring two metres distancing to the greatest extent possible.
“We’ve already done a lot of that work, but if there is additional furniture we can move out, we’ve already arranged some additional storage space.”
He says the MVSD may need to utilize additional spaces like multi-purpose rooms, empty classrooms, and other spaces within the schools to further distance students.
At the DRCSS, social distancing with a blended learning approach is already in place, but for the other five high schools in the MVSD, Ward says “we’re certainly going to have to look at what we can do in terms of socially distancing there. If we found there are simply too many challenges, we would have to consider a blended learning approach for grades 9 to 12 as well."
The MVSD Superintendent says these are temporary measures — and hopes to see them reassessed in 2 weeks.
“...but we have to be prepared for longer.”
Click here to read more from the MVSD.
