Overview of COVID-19
Protocols at Brookes Westshore
Dear Brookes Westshore families,
As you are all aware, there are going to be necessary changes in how we operate as a school in the new school year. Over the last months we have been working hard behind the scenes to build our capacity to provide the high-level education you have come to expect from us under the new demands of the COVID-19 protocols.
This document provides you with an overview of how we will continue to educate your children while ensuring we maintain a safe and healthy environment for all our students, families and staff.
We have been working very closely with the Ministries of Education and Health to ensure we understand and meet their expectations. As the pandemic is not over, we fully expect further refinements and changes in protocols. Whatever happens, we remain committed to providing the best educational experience we possibly can for our students.
Thank you for your patience and understanding at this challenging time. We hope you are safe and healthy.
OUR PLEDGE
Brookes Westshore is committed to providing:
- A school environment which is purposely designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 and is safe for all students, teachers and staff.
- The continuation of learning and support for educational development of all students in an environment which is physical and emotionally safe and inspires learning.
- An environment where students, teachers and staff are supported in mental health challenges during this pandemic.
- Resources and procedures to ensure all understand and can implement the protocols and procedures developed by the BC government and have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and expectations to follow these guidelines.
- Regular and effective communication with staff, students and parents with current updates provided by the BC Public Health Officer and Worksafe BC.
The Public Health Authorities have determined that the virus behaves differently in children and these understandings have been used to provide guidance in school settings.
YOUR ARRIVAL
Entry to the school will be monitored by staff at all times. We will provide a self-assessment tool to all families to ensure we are all diligent in maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students.
Visitors to the school will be required to make an appointment in advance and access will be granted only for essential services. Anyone and everyone who comes to the campus of Brookes Westshore will be required to perfume a health self-assessment.
During the day students will be required to use specific entry and exit doors from the main buildings to maintain student ‘clusters’ and reduce congestion and congregation. On arrival at the school students will be required to be either in their classroom or outside.
Students using school buses will be assigned seating to maintain physical distancing. Buses will be cleaned after each journey. High touch surfaces (door handles, etc.) will be cleaned throughout the day.
Students arriving from outside Canada will be required to quarantine for 14 days on arrival and prior to joining the school population. These students will be allocated a room to themselves during the quarantine period and all meals will be provided to them in their room.
YOUR HEALTH
All staff and students will be informed of and trained in the necessary protocols for the safe and healthy running of Brookes Westshore.
Regular and effective hand washing will be an essential element in infection prevention and control. Brookes Westshore will provide:
- Guidance and monitoring of student hand washing.
- Plentiful supplies of hand sanitizer and hand washing stations throughout the school.
- Signage and monitoring to encourage and support regular and effective hand washing.
- Checklists for day students on arrival at, and departure from, the school.
All parents of day students will be asked to conduct a daily health assessment of their child before coming to school. Brookes Westshore will provide a self-assessment tool to parents.
No student or staff member who is showing any symptoms of sickness will be allowed into the school. The Brookes Westshore nurse will coordinate daily health checks on students and staff. Any boarding student who shows symptoms will be immediately isolated and the school will liaise with the Ministry of Health on appropriate action.
Brookes Westshore will provide information and support for families on the Ministry guidelines and protocols for identifying and responding to COVID-19 symptoms.
Supporting the mental health and wellness of our students and staff is a priority for Brookes Westshore. Our staff will monitor the social and emotional wellbeing of students and offer support and referral where appropriate. Counselling services are also available for all staff and students.
YOUR SCHOOL
Physical distancing will be planned for, monitored, and enforced throughout the school. We will work with staff and students to create and maintain appropriate ‘clusters’ of students and staff. Supporting measures include but are not limited to:
- Desks will be spaced apart in classrooms to minimize contact.
- One-way movement in hallways and communal spaces will be marked and monitored.
- Staggered lunch and break times will be introduced to reduce congestion.
- We will be dining in grade level groups to maintain social ‘clusters’.
- Maximum bathroom occupancy will be monitored and enforced by staff.
- Water fountains have been disabled.
- Lockers will be closed and unavailable to students.
- School activities will be held outdoors as much as possible and there will be no contact sports.
Students in our dormitories will be allocated to a ‘bubble’ of 6-10 students living on the same floor of the dormitory building. These students will act as a 'household' and will be able to have contact with each other throughout the day. Each separate ‘bubble’ of students will maintain social distance from other student bubbles.
Brookes Westshore classrooms and spaces will be given a ‘deep clean’ every day. Every high-touch surface will be identified and cleaned at least twice per day (door handles, sinks, etc.). Bathrooms will be ‘deep cleaned’ twice a day. Every classroom and office will have disinfectant and cleaning supplies provided for spot cleaning
Any item in the school which cannot be cleaned effectively will be either removed or its use severely limited. Students will be required to provide their own materials wherever possible (pens, paper, etc.) to reduce the need for sharing.
Students will be scheduled in the same classroom as much as possible to reduce the need for movement between classes.
YOUR SUCCESS
We are deeply committed to providing the best education we possibly can within the bounds of the current global crisis. We will do everything possible to support our students in their educational journey with us.
Jerry Salvador
Head of School
RESOURCES
The protocols developed in this document have been created using the BC Ministry of Education’s guidelines for restarting school, BC Ministry of Health and Workplace BC.
BC Ministry Guidelines – Link to the BC Ministry of Health website – orders, notices and guidelines.
BC Ministry of Health – Public Health Guidance for K-12 School Settings
BC Cleaning Guidelines for COVID-19
COVID-19 self-assessment check list: BC Ministry of Health
