School Re-Entry Plan
My name is Krista MacGregor and I feel very fortunate to join the St. Alphonsus family and serve as your new principal for the 2020-2021 school year. Kyle O’Hara and Julie-Ann Dron continue their roles at Assistant Principals. A warm welcome to our returning students, and new students that have registered at St. Alphonsus School. Whether you are choosing in-person learning or at-home learning, you are all a part of our St. Alphonsus family.
Our Division theme for the year is “God Calls Us Each By Name”. We are excited to see and welcome all the smiling student faces and celebrate the many gifts and talents they bring to our school community!
Our dedicated staff is extremely proud of our school and the many learning experiences that we offer your children! We are looking forward to journeying with them as they grow spiritually, academically, socially, creatively, physically, and emotionally this school year.
We know that many of you have questions about our re-entry plan and so a large part of this welcome letter is dedicated to what our plan is here at St. Alphonsus. Please know that this plan will be fluid and will take its direction from the Division, AHS and Alberta Education and so we will send out any new updates as they come.
As parents or guardians, you play an important role in your child’s development. We value a strong family/school partnership that nurtures positive relationships and builds a strong learning community. This is most important as we begin this new school year.
On behalf of the St. Alphonsus staff, we look forward to collaboratively working with you throughout the school year. If at any time you should have any questions, comments, or concerns please contact one of the administration team at 780-477-2531.
Krista MacGregor Kyle O’Hara Julie-Ann Dron
Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal
The COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant challenge in our world, impacting schools in conducting normal operations. Planning for re-entry to school for the 2020-21 school year is the fundamental focus of this handbook, with the education of our students in an environment that seeks to mitigate the risks to students, staff and parents as our priority in Edmonton Catholic Schools.
We hope this plan provides you with an understanding of what must and should be considered throughout the school re-entry process. It presents both required practice and guiding principles as our school re-opens. Required practices are derived from recommendations and guidance from health authorities.
ON-LINE OR IN PERSON LEARNING
Please go onto your power school and select the method that you are choosing for your child by August 28th. If you need assistance, please call the office at 780-477-2513.
STAGGERED ENTRY- Bussing runs as usual
In order for the students and staff to become more familiar with each other and the new routines in place we have decided to stagger the entry on September 2nd and 3rd. It will be as follows:
Wednesday, September 2nd - Grades 1-6 (full day)
Thursday, September 3rd - Grades 7-9
Wednesday, September 2nd and Thursday, 3rd- Kindergarten, which will be scheduled by the teacher
Friday, September 4th, the school will be closed as the staff have re-entry professional development day
Tuesday, September 8th will be the beginning of regular in school classes and kindergarten bussing begins
DAILY HEALTH CHECKS
Parents and caregivers must assess their child daily for symptoms of common cold, influenza, COVID-19, or other infectious respiratory disease before sending them to school.
All students who have symptoms of COVID-19 OR travelled outside Canada in the last 14 days OR were identified as a close contact of a confirmed case or outbreak must stay home and self isolate. Students must stay home until they have been assessed by a health care provider to exclude COVID-19 or other infectious diseases and their symptoms have resolved. Children and students will be supported by the school to learn at home if they are required to isolate due to illness or because they are in close contact of a case of COVID-19.
You are legally required to self-quarantine for 14 days after international travel. You are legally required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days if you have a cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, or sore throat that is not related to a pre-existing illness or health condition. You are legally required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days if you have tested positive for COVID-19. The mandatory isolation period is 10 days from the start of symptoms, or until symptoms resolve, whichever takes longer.
TRANSPORTATION
All students are required to wear a mask on the school bus. The students will be assigned a seat and it will be important that they remain in that seat.
All students riding on the yellow bus will be issued a FREE bus pass at the beginning of the school year. The cost for ETS bus passes are $33.50 for elementary students, and $59.00 for junior high students. Replacement costs for yellow bus passes are $5.00. Please note that video surveillance cameras were put onto yellow school busses at all ECSD schools. Students who misbehave on the busses could be asked to find alternate transportation to school. We must ensure the safety of all students. Bus passes are on sale in the school office.
DROP OFF/PICK UP
If you are dropping off or picking up your child, we ask that you remain outside of the school. You may take them to their entrance door and meet them there at the end of that day if you wish.
If you need to enter the school, we ask that you make an appointment. When you arrive, you need to have done a health check, and not exhibit any symptoms. Just inside the door there is a hand sanitizing station for you to use prior to heading up to the office. You are required to wear a mask when inside the building.
DOORS
Upon arrival, students will be required to line up with their class at their assigned door. The teacher will greet them, and each will get a dollop of hand sanitizer upon entry. Until this becomes a routine, there will be ample staff outside of the school to help direct the children to the proper entrance.
Each class will be assigned a door to enter and exit through. Each entrance will be marked with the grade. At each entry there is a hand sanitizing station.
K-6 Doors off the playground
7-9 Front doors
STAGGERED RECESS/LUNCH/WATER BOTTLES
Student will be playing in designated cohort spaces and we will stagger the recess times, to lessen the students out in the playground.
Students will remain in their classrooms to eat lunch and we ask that they do not being any food that needs to be heated as there will be no access to microwaves.
We encourage all students to bring a water bottle to school.
MASKS
All staff are expected to wear a mask where physical distancing of 2m is not consistently possible. Exceptions may be considered when working with individuals with a hearing impairment or when working in a context that supports 2m physical distancing or other protective measures are in place. As per Alberta Health Services (AHS) guidelines, a face shield does not replace a face mask, but may be used as an additional measure in conjunction with a face mask.
All students, K-12, riding on ETS or Yellow bus must wear a face mask. Students in grades 4-12 must wear face masks whenever physical distancing of 2m is not possible. This will include:
- - In hallways and common areas
- - In classroom contexts in which there is a high degree of close interaction
- - food preparation or other physical safety conditions cannot be appropriately maintained
Students in Kindergarten to 3 are strongly encouraged to wear a face mask, if they are physically, developmentally and psychologically able to. Parents of students with unique sensory challenges should meet with school administration to discuss exemptions and alternative strategies to this mandate.
SICK AT SCHOOL
Students exhibiting signs of illness will be moved to a designated quarantine area within the school. The parent/caregivers will be notified and advised to pick up their child immediately (within the hour). Upon re-entry, student emergency contact information must be confirmed. Staff supervising symptomatic students will wear a mask and provide a mask to the student if they do not have one. The quarantine space will be thoroughly cleaned each day, and after each instance of occupancy by a symptomatic individual, using approved disinfecting protocols. All items the ill student/staff member touched will be cleaned and disinfected as soon as possible.
Please ensure to update any medical needs of your child with your child’s teacher or the office.
SNACK /HOT LUNCH PROGRAM
The Edmonton City Center Church Corporation (E4C), provides funding for us to provide a snack program every day for our Elementary students. We know that proper nutrition is so important for students to learn effectively and believe this mid morning snack helps tide them over until lunchtime.
E4C also support a Lunch program for the elementary students. Parents register and for a low cost of $20 a month, students are provided with lunch.
Junior high students have a continental type breakfast available to them each morning, through other donations and is available for free at the concession from 8:00 to 8:30
Although it is recommenced that students bring a lunch in Junior High, there is also a few lunch items available through the concession for a small fee.
All food programs will begin the week of September 8th.
OFFICE HOURS
Please note that our school is open from 8:00 am—4:00 pm. After hours, the telephone answering machine is available to register absent students or to leave messages for the staff. Please remember that we will be happy to give your child a message at lunch or at the end of the school day.
Again, we ask that you make an appointment before entering the school, if possible.
CELL PHONE POLICY
We do not encourage cell phone use at school. We provide technology for our students to use for their classroom work in the form of Chrome Books and iPads. If your child requires a cell phone, then we ask the junior high students to keep it locked in their lockers during class time. Elementary students are to give their cell phones to their teachers, and they will lock them up in a lock box during class time. Students who do not follow these procedures will have their phones taken away and after the first reminder, parents will need to pick them up from the teacher or administration. At no time are students allowed to take pictures of other students on school property.
We work hard to establish a safe and secure environment for our students.
Hours of Operation – 2020—21 School Year
Doors Open for Junior High Students 8:00 AM FOR THE BREAKFAST PROGRAM
Supervision Outside for Elementary Students Begins at 8:15 AM
As we move through the school year, we will have more information on extra-curriculars and after school clubs. For more detailed information please follow the links below.
Parents- Frequently asked questions
