The Saskatchewan government has released updated guidelines for school divisions that want to start at Level 2 next month.
Masks are recommended for students in grades 4 through 12 in high traffic areas such as hallways and on buses.
For teachers and staff as well as students in grades 9 to 12, masks may be required in classrooms where physical distancing is not possible or when outside of the cohort within their classroom.
Education Minister Gord Wyant says these recommendations were made so school divisions can make the best decisions at a local level.
“We really thought that it was important, given the diversity of our schools, given the diversity of our school divisions, that school divisions have the opportunity to make those decisions,” Wyant said.
Students are encouraged to bring their own non-medical cloth masks, but Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab says students should start wearing masks before returning to school this fall.
“For all parents make sure your kids have a couple masks, make sure they keep a mask on at home just to get used to it,” Shahab recommended.
In a news release from the provincial government, Shahab also recommended the following:
• teacher and class cohorting, with a focus on cohorting teachers to a limited number of students and keeping students in one cohort as much as possible;
• in elementary school settings, students’ cohorts will be the classroom;
• in high school settings where cohorting is more complex, school divisions will be encouraged to find creative solutions to move students in cohorts where possible;
• front-facing instruction for students, any exceptions will be identified for approval by public health; and
• staggered start times, breaks and end times, where possible.
• in elementary school settings, students’ cohorts will be the classroom;
• in high school settings where cohorting is more complex, school divisions will be encouraged to find creative solutions to move students in cohorts where possible;
• front-facing instruction for students, any exceptions will be identified for approval by public health; and
• staggered start times, breaks and end times, where possible.
Mask guidelines can be found in the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.
The Saskatchewan government has already procured six million disposable masks for schools in Saskatchewan with an investment of $2.3 million.
They will be ade available to students, teachers and staff at the beginning of the school year and on a daily basis.
