Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows school district preparing for possibility of functional school closures

SD42 is planning for the possibility of moving classes online if the COVID-19 variant Omicron impacts staffing levels.

In a letter posted to the district website on Thursday, the superintendent of schools said he expects there will be staffing challenges over the coming weeks.

“While every effort will be made to deploy all available resources to cover staff absences, there does exist the possibility that at some point we will experience a functional closure of a school,” said Harry Dhillon.

Dhillon said a functional closure will be determined by the school district when there is a lack of staff to provide the required level of teaching, supervision, support and/or custodial services to ensure the health and safety of students.

Every effort will be made to “deploy all available resources to cover staff absences”, added Dhillon.

This past week, school staff have been participating in proactive planning in order to support the temporary transition to online and remote learning in the event of a closure.

Temporary closures, remarked Dhillon will be communicated to parents through the parent portal on the same day staffing levels have been determined to be insufficient. Students will have to stay home the following day as staff prepares the switch to online learning. Then online learning will begin on day three, and continue over seven calendar days after which staffing levels will be reviewed before students can return to in-school learning.

“Your child’s school would provide you with more detailed information should a functional closure be necessary,” said Dhillon.

Fraser Health notified districts on Friday that there will be changes to contact tracing for COVID-19 this year.

“The Omicron variant spreads rapidly and, as such, contact tracing is a less effective measure in the timely management of COVID-19,” explained Fraser Health.

“What this means is that Public Health is no longer able to contact everyone who tests positive,” the notice said.

The health authority is advising individuals who test positive for COVID-19 to follow advice from the BC Centre for Disease Control that will explain how long to self-isolate, how to report a positive test result, and how to notify close contacts.

School exposures will no longer be issued by Public Health for individual cases. If there is an outbreak, Public Health will issue a public notification.

READ MORE: SD42 leadership reviewing school COVID safety measures as Omicron spreads

However, Public Health will work with schools if there is a “significant increase in absenteeism that is atypical for the time of year,” and actions are to be taken like a notification to parents and guardians of the affected grade or school community.

Schools will also be undergoing enhanced health and safety measures starting Monday, Jan. 10. Temporary measures to reduce crowding at pick-up and drop-off times and during break transitions will be implemented. Also, rooms have been reconfigured to allow as much space as possible between people.

Floor decals and posters will be used again to remind students about being socially distanced.

ALSO: SD42 warning families to check restrictions around holiday travel

School gatherings and events will be held virtually. However, if in-person attendance is unavoidable, it will be limited to 50 per cent capacity.

Visitors will be limited at schools to those who offer direct services that benefit students, like teacher candidates or those helping with meal programs. Parents and guardians will have to make appointments to be allowed in a school and no spectators will be allowed for school events like theatre, band, choir, or sports.

Sports tournaments will be paused.

Regular hand hygiene and masks will continue to be enforced along with daily health checks.

Fraser Health also wants to remind those returning to Canada from international travel that unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children and youth up to and including 17 years, must quarantine for 14 days and cannot attend school in-person.

Anyone five and older is eligible to be vaccinated.