If symptoms present while at school, the school will follow these steps:

1. Move the student to a designated room where they will be isolated from other staff and students until they can be picked up.
   When occupied, these rooms will be supervised and contain PPE kits with hand sanitizer, gloves, surgical/procedural masks, eye protection and a gown. In the event that the number of symptomatic children outnumber the number of vacant rooms available, then they may isolate in the same room, but preference is that each individual be isolated in a separate room whenever possible. 
   
   
2. Contact the student’s parents/caregiver immediately. 
   Families will be required to pick up their child as soon as possible. They will also be directed to isolate their child, and seek medical advice and testing at an Assessment Centre in Peel.
   
   
3. Thoroughly clean and disinfect the room once it is vacated. 
   All rooms and spaces that are used for the isolation of symptomatic staff and students must be thoroughly and properly cleaned and disinfected as soon as possible, once the room is vacated by the individual(s) being isolated. Signage will be available for posting to visually indicate if a room is clean and available for use.

What other screening measures are in place?

For staff:
Staff will perform their own self-assessment for COVID-19 before they leave for school. If the self-assessment says to stay at home and monitor your health or to get tested for COVID-19, staff must alert the Principal immediately and not come to work. Staff will show the completed, verified screening upon arrival.

For essential visitors:
Signs will be posted at all entry doors reminding essential visitors to complete a self-assessment before entering the school, and to not enter if they do not pass the self-assessment. When they sign in, they will also be required to show the completed, verified self-assessment/screening upon arrival.

A new school health monitoring system will also be established through a partnership between the ministries of health and education, school boards and local public health agencies to monitor and respond to reports of COVID-19 symptoms. We are awaiting details from the Ministry of Education and will provide updates to families as new information becomes available. ​​

Masks, face coverings and other Personal ​​​Protective Equipment (PPE) - UPDATED February. 12, 2021 

All school-based staff and visitors into the school will be required to wear a mask. Medical masks and eye protection (i.e. face shields) will be provided for all Educators and other school board staff. Non-medical masks will be available for any essential visitors to the school who do not have their own.

Reasonable exceptions on the requirement to wear masks will apply (e.g. staff or students with sensory or breathing difficulties). Families should contact the school if they require an exemption/accommodation. ​​
​

Regular hand washing routines

Hand sanitizer will be available at all school entrances and in every classroom and gymnasium. Before entering the school, students, staff and all visitors must sanitize their hands. 

All classes will also have scheduled washroom and hand washing breaks throughout the day. Students and all staff will wash/sanitize their hands: 

• upon entry/exit of the building (mandatory for anyone who enters the building)

• upon entry to their classroom

• before and after eating

• before and after using the washroom

• and at other intervals (e.g. after handling shared items)

Posters will be placed around the school to remind students and staff to avoid touching their eyes, mouth and nose as much as possible, avoid contact with people who are sick, cover their coughs and sneezes with a tissue or into their upper sleeve or elbow, and wash their hands after coughing and sneezing. ​

Physical distancing measures

All schools will follow new procedures to promote physical distancing to the best extent possible. Furniture in classrooms will be reconfigured, where necessary, to help maintain physical distance between students and staff. 

Cohorting and limiting interactions with others at school

A key way that we will limit and identify interactions at school is through cohorting. Cohorting is the practice of keeping students together in a small group throughout their school day, with limited exposure to multiple Teachers or a wide variety of classmates. This practice limits the number of other students that a single student is in contact with. This practice will also facilitate contact tracing, should it be necessary. 

Within these cohort groups, students within a class will stay together as much as possible and limit their interactions with others. Classes will travel together in the school to use the washroom, enter/exit the building, etc. As much as possible, the same Teacher will stay with their class. 

To further limit risk of exposure and assist with contact tracing, additional measures are in place to reduce the number of people students and staff interact with each day: 

• Lunch and recess will be supervised by the same staff, as much as possible.  
• Support staff will avoid interaction with students, unless absolutely necessary.
• If your child has another Teacher for a different subject, such as French, the Teacher will come to the classroom, rather than having the students move rooms. 
• Students will be allowed to interact only with students in their own cohorts while outside.  Physical distancing between cohorts, even outside, must be maintained.
• Parents/caregivers will not be permitted inside the school, and will be asked to meet their child at an entrance, if needed. 
• Visitors to the school will be limited to essential visitors only, and will be asked to sign in and out. 

Limiting shared spaces and gatherings

• ​Closed shared spaces: Staff rooms, libraries, auditoriums, cafeterias, drama rooms (carpet online), weight rooms and changerooms will be closed during the school day. If these spaces are used for special circumstances, accommodations will be made to ensure the spaces are cleaned and hand sanitizer is provided. 
• One-way hallways and stairwells: If a hallway or stairwell does not allow for adequate physical distance, it will become a “one-way” path with directional arrows posted on the walls. Student movement throughout the school at busy times will be coordinated to avoid congestion.
• Limited access to the main office: Entry to the school’s main office will be restricted to essential​ visitors only. A physically distanced waiting area will be established outside the Main Office. Signage with access instructions will be posted. Students may visit the Main Office to request first aid, to receive medication, to sign in/out, attend for behaviour support and/or in crisis situations.

Limiting shared classroom materials

• Students will be given their own materials, as much as possible, and encouraged not to share. Schools will provide students with a baggie, basket or other similar, easily cleaned item that will be labelled with students’ names to store individual instructional materials.
  
  
• If materials must be shared between classes, they will be disinfected or stored. Students will use hand sanitizer before and after using materials that other students may possibly use.
  

Enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols

The cleanliness of buildings, classrooms, portables, washrooms, common areas and high-touch surfaces is critical. 

Custodial staff will perform general cleaning of commonly used rooms and facilities (e.g. sensory rooms, break-out spaces, hallways, stairwells, entrance foyers, gym) throughout the day, with an increased frequency of cleaning of high-touch surfaces. On a nightly basis, all classrooms, portables, staff and student washrooms and school offices will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.

High-touch surfaces include (but are not limited to): 

• door handles
• faucets
• soap dispensers
• push plates
• toilet handles
• toilet paper dispensers
• all glass surfaces
• drinking fountains
• light switches
• counter tops
• school phones
• fire extinguisher security alarm panel
• stairwell railings
• elevator push buttons and railing
  

Airflow and ventilation

When possible, schools will:

• keep windows open to encourage natural ventilation
• adjust HVAC system settings to increase the amount of fresh air into the building
• minimize the use of fans and portable air conditioners as much as possible, as they could affect the spread of respiratory droplets
• avoid the recirculation of air as much as practically possible, and ensure clean filters and preventative maintenance schedules are rigorously followed
• position desks near windows and away from forced-air HVAC systems, as natural ventilation is preferred

Drop-off/pick-up​

Eating and drinking at school

• must NOT share food or cups/utensils/water bottles
• must wash/sanitize their hands before and after eating
• are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle to school. Students will be discouraged from drinking from water fountains using the mouthpiece. Signage will be posted at water fountains and water filling stations with guidelines for use.

• Students will stay in their classrooms to eat lunch, and are encouraged to bring their own lunches. 
• Families/caregivers who must drop off student lunches will leave the labelled lunch in a designated area and not enter the Main Office. 
• Food deliveries from third-party providers will not be accepted. 
• All “food days,” “pizza days,” etc. are cancelled until further notice.
• Schools may decide to continue to run modified breakfast and snack programs. Check with your child’s school directly to learn more.
• Learn more about elementary lunch p​rocedures. 

Outdoor activities

Prior to all outdoor activities, students will wash/sanitize their hands. Students will be required to wear a mask while outside.

​

While outside for recess, students in the same cohort/class will not be required to physically distance, but close contact will be discouraged. However, students in different cohorts will continue to practice physical distancing as much as possible. 

Visitors to schools

To limit and track school visitors, only essential visitors will be permitted into the school. If families wish to speak to someone at the school, they are asked to do so by emailing or calling the school directly. 

As required by the Ministry of Education and consistent with public health recommendations, visitors must sign in upon entry and sign out when they leave. They will be required to follow school rules, physically distance as much as possible, and wear a mask/face covering. 

All doors of elementary and secondary schools will be locked once the school day starts. All essential visitors must enter via the main entrance door using the buzzer or by phone. A waiting area will be established outside the main entrance.

Procedures in the event of a positive COVID-19 case

If an individual who has entered a school building tests positive for COVID-19, we have developed a plan, aligned with Ontario's COVID-19 guidance: school outbreak management document, following Ministry guidelines and in consultation with public health, to help contain and reduce the spread. This is a plan we hope to never need, but will be ready in the event a positive case is identified, so Peel Public Health can respond quickly and effectively.

Confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 at the school

In the event a school staff member, student or essential ​visitor who has entered a school building ​tests positive for COVID-19, the school and board will follow Peel Public Health response guidance. The local public health unit will further direct those who have been exposed to a confirmed COVID-19 case or who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 regarding when they may return to school. 

If the school becomes aware of someone who has entered the school who has tested positive for COVID-19:

• ​​The individual will be sent home immediately, if still at school.
  
  
• The school and board will assist Peel Public Health in identifying close contacts.
  School Administrators will work with central board staff and Peel Public Health to conduct contact tracing, using student attendance records, class and contact information, bus seating plans, classroom seating plans, and essential visitor sign-in records. If the student attends a before- and/or after-school program or is a bus student, a list of the students (and staff members) outside of the student's class/cohort, with contact information, will be prepared for Peel Public Health. 
  
  If the individual is a staff member, the Principal/Supervisor will contact central board staff to provide the employee's name, position, last day of work, and date of positive test result. Central board staff will provide this information to Peel Public Health for contact tracing purposes. If the employee has been working directly with students (e.g. Educational Assistant (EA) or Planning Time Teacher, working with multiple students or cohorts) a list of those students and cohorts, with contact information, will be prepared for Peel Public Health.​​
  
  Peel Public Health will follow up with identified close contacts.
  
  
• Areas of the building that the infected person accessed will undergo additional cleaning and sanitizing. 
  If it cannot be determined where in the building the individual accessed, then the entire school will require additional cleaning. This would include a thorough cleaning of all high-touch surfaces, common areas and washrooms in addition to the daily cleaning schedule. 
  
  

• Peel Public Health will complete a risk assessment and give direction to the school to support further action.
  This may or may not include:​

  • closing the classroom, a section of the school, or the full school
  • a deep cleaning of a particular classroom or area.
  • the need to self-isolate and/or seek testing at a COVID-19 Assessment Centre.
    
    If the employee is a Homeroom Teacher and has only had contact with their own class/cohort, then that cohort should be contained in their classroom until further action is directed by Peel Public Health. Students may need to be sent home earlier in the day as opposed to going on a school bus or to an after-school program to minimize interaction with others. ​
    
    
• The school and board will inform families and staff at the school or worksite. 
  A letter will be provided to families and staff informing them of the situation and the direction provided by Peel Public Health. This letter will be posted on the school website, and shared directly with staff and families via email. Notice of any closures of classes, cohorts or schools will be communicated directly with staff, students and families via School Messenger Communicate and/or email.​ 
  
  Individuals deemed to be close contacts by Peel Public Health will be contacted directly by them.
  
  To protect the privacy of the invidiual, we will not share the identity of the affected individual, or whether they are a student, staff member or essential visitor to the school. As per Ministry of Education direction, information will not be shared or posted in instances where students or staff withdraw from school if a family or household member has a confirmed case of COVID-19.
  
  We will also update our COVID-19 Advisory section of the board and school's website. Each school website will have information on the main page which shows the number of active confirmed cases of COVID-19 at that particular school. The Peel board website will include the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 for all Peel schools. 
   ​

Management of a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 in the school community

This section applies to a student, staff member or a member of a school community who is regularly in the school, who informs the school that they have tested positive for COVID-19.

• Any individual who tests positive for COVID-19 should not attend school until they are cleared by Peel Public Health or their health care provider.

• Any individuals who test positive must remain in isolation for 14 days. Retesting is not recommended and will not alter this 14-day isolation requirement.

• Every individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 is contacted by Peel Public Health for further follow-up.

• Peel Public Health will notify the school of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. In some cases, Peel Public Health may not be the same local public health unit (PHU) as the school. In these circumstances, coordination between the PHUs and the school is required for further direction. Having designated points of contact within the school and the PHU can assist with ensuring clear processes for communication are in place.

• Where Peel Public Health determines there was a transmission risk to others in the school, students and staff will be assessed to determine if they were at high risk of exposure (requiring isolation) or if they were at low risk of exposure (can self-monitor for symptoms and return to school).

• All students and staff determined to be at high risk of exposure will be directed to isolate and recommended to be tested (voluntary testing) within their isolation period.

• Negative test results do not change the requirement for isolation nor do they shorten the isolation period for close contacts.​

Provincial closure protocols for outbreaks

The local public health unit (PHU), in our case, Peel Public Health, is responsible for determining if an outbreak exists, declaring an outbreak, and providing direction on outbreak control measures to be implemented.

An outbreak in a school is defined as two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff in a school with an epidemiological link, within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection in the school (including transportation and before- or after-school care).

However, even though an outbreak may be declared in the school, Peel Public Health will assist in determining which cohort(s) may be sent home or if a partial or full school closure is required based on the scope of the outbreak. 

Peel Public Health will work with the school to determine epidemiological links (e.g., cases in the same class, cases that are part of the same before/after school care cohort, cases that have assigned bus seats in close proximity to each other). Peel Public Health will determine which cohorts are high risk contacts, requiring isolation.

Reopening the school

The outbreak does not necessarily need to be over to reopen the school. Cohorts without evidence of transmission can be gradually brought back to school as additional information and test results become available. Consideration should be given to implementing additional preventive measures and active surveillance as part of re-opening.

Outbreak declared over

An outbreak will be declared over by Peel Public Health. This may be based on:

• at least 14 days from the last ou​tbreak associated case (including in a student, staff, essential visitor, or anyone else in the school during the outbreak)

• no further symptomatic individuals with tests pending​