For the past two school years Ontario’s students and their families, educators and school staff have demonstrated resiliency and flexibility in responding to changes to public health and workplace safety measures during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Board remains committed to providing students with a normal return to school and to support an enriching school experience that enables academic success and lets students take advantage of the activities and programs that enhance classroom learning and build social and life skills.
Masking (Students, Staff, Visitors, Contractors, etc.)
As directed by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, and the Ministry of Education, masks will not be required for students, staff and visitors in schools, school board offices, or on student transportation.
The Board will continue to support voluntary mask wearing for those students, staff, visitors, and contractors, who choose to wear masks. The Board supports and actively promotes respectful, welcoming and inclusive environments for individuals who choose to wear, or not to wear a mask within their school communities.
The government will continue to provide free high-quality masks for students and staff, if they choose to use them.
Rapid Antigen Test Kits
Schools will also continue to have access to rapid antigen tests to be used in accordance with provincial testing guidance.
Such Rapid Antigen Tests will continue to support symptomatic testing only for staff, students and children. Schools are expected to continue distributing RATs to staff and students, as required.
Mental Health, Staff and Student Supports
All students will continue to have access to evidence-based and timely school-based mental health services and supports.
For students with disabilities, all health and safety protections continue to be fully adhered to with additional supports in staffing and mental health funding to support students most in need.
- For Students - the Superintendent of Education – Student Well Being
- For Family and Community Support – Mental Health & Well Being (Board webpage)
Self Screening
It is recommended that staff, students, parents, guardians, contractors and visitors continue to self-screen every day before attending school using the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool designated by the local public health unit, in alignment with current provincial guidance.
Follow all applicable instructions and direction.
Follow public health guidance, individuals should stay home if they are feeling ill to prevent the spread of illness.
Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette
Appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette should continue to be promoted and integrated throughout the school day. Hand sanitizer will continue to be provided.
Hand Hygiene
Wash your hands often with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds and especially after using the washroom, food preparations and handling, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Proper hand washing utilizing soap and water is the preferred method.
If soap and water are not readily available, then wash your hands often with hand sanitizer containing alcohol (60%).
Respiratory Etiquette
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands or gloved hands:
- When coughing or sneezing:
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or the bend of your arm, do not sneeze into your hand;
Immediately dispose of any tissues upon usage and wash your hands afterwards or use hand sanitizer.
Vaccination
Vaccination remains the best defense against COVID-19. Principals / Site Supervisors should continue to promote COVID-19 vaccination for students, families and staff.
The Board will continue working with the local Health Unit to promote vaccinations including the hosting of vaccination clinics as may be applicable.
Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfecting
All Schools / Board Sites and school vehicles are expected to continue with enhanced cleaning protocols requiring cleaning / disinfecting high-touch surfaces.
Ventilation Measures
The Board will continue to optimize air quality in classrooms and learning environments through improved ventilation and filtration. These are key elements in the multiple protective strategies to support healthy and safe learning environments for students and staff.
Significant improvements have been made to ventilation and filtration through the implementation of various measures across all schools. This includes upgrades to existing ventilation systems, addition of new ventilation systems, deployment of standalone HEPA filter units and increased transparency for students, parents and staff.
During the previous 18 months all school buildings (which will continue to be opened during the next 5 years) and that had partial or no ventilation in teaching / office spaces, have been retrofitted with new forced-air ventilation systems.
The Ministry of Education, in their most recent Memorandum entitled “2022-23 Health and Safety Measures in Schools” has indicated that HEPA units required in every occupied kindergarten class, in all occupied learning spaces without mechanical ventilation, and in mechanically ventilated learning spaces without MERV-13 level filters. Any additional HEPA filter units should continue to be deployed by school boards in learning spaces in a manner that maximizes their benefit.
For the 2022/23 school year, the Board has committed to maintain all HEPA units that were previously deployed even though they are in addition to fully ventilated spaces.
For the 2022-23 school year, school boards must also continue to publicly communicate ventilation measures through the Standardized Ventilation Measures Report. Please make reference to the GECDSB’s Ventilation Report.
School boards are expected to continue to implement ventilation best practices measures outlined in 2021:B14 School Ventilation as applicable in the context of each school facility including the following: