The Good Spirit School Division released its return-to-school plan for the 2021-22 school year.
Earlier this month, the School Division released a “very preliminary” plan to give students and parents an idea of what to expect for this academic year.
Indoor mask use will be required for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 and all staff who work with these students, while students in Grade 7 to 12 and staff who are around these students are encouraged to wear a mask.
For any student who cannot wear a mask due to a medical issue, the family will need to obtain medical documentation and work with the school on creating an accommodation plan.
Masks need to be worn when boarding GSSD school buses, except for students with an approved medical accommodation, and assigned seating on buses will continue.
All visitors need to wear a mask and are asked to report to the office to sign in.
Extra-curricular activities will resume, and sanitization and hand hygiene will be promoted and practiced.
A protocol is in place where if a student becomes ill while in school, they will go to a separate area until a parent or guardian are contacted to pick up the student. After the student has left the building, the space where the student was will be disinfected.
Good Spirit School Division’s Return-to-School Handbook can be found here.
Christ the Teacher Catholic School Division Plan
The Christ the Teacher Catholic School Division unveiled its return-to-school plan for the 2021-22 academic year.
Masks will be required for students in Grade 6 and lower, but optional when outdoors.
Students in Grade 7 and above are required to wear masks when in common areas such as hallways, washrooms, and libraries, but are strongly encouraged to continue wearing a mask when in the classroom.
Staff are also required to wear masks when present with students, especially in common areas.
Masks are also required for visitors for all indoor school events and at all CTTCS facilities.
Seating plans on Christ the Teacher school buses will continue and masks are required on all CTTCS transportation.
All schools will continue to promote proper hand hygiene and continue with enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols.
Face-to-face instruction will return with assigned seating plans maintained, and extra-curricular activities will resume.
Christ the Teacher Catholic School Division’s plan can be viewed
here.
Opposition to mask requirements
Not long after the plans were released, a petition has been created expressing concern about both local school division’s mask requirements.
“As concerned individuals, we believe that each member of the school community – whether a parent, student, teacher, or member of staff – should have the ability to preserve and exercise their Rights and Freedoms as Canadians.” the petition reads. “We would like to express our great concern over the apparent infringement upon these Rights and Freedoms at our schools.”
The petition claims the school division’s mask requirements “is an infringement on our basic Rights and Freedoms according to sections 2 (a),( b), and 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Our belief is that our schools should reflect the Provincial measures.”
It also cites the Moose Jaw School Board as an example of not implementing such a measure.
The petition is requesting an in-person meeting with officials with the Good Spirit and Christ the Teacher Catholic School Divisions.
“We desire to have it on record that, as parents and concerned citizens, we stand against the Back to School Plan and the health measures you are attempting to implement. We ask that this in person meeting is properly communicated to parents so that they are made aware of the decisions that are being made for their children.” the petition adds.
As of Monday afternoon, over 2-thousand people have signed the
petition.
