2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR - STAGE2 RESTARTPLAN NLPS RESTART PLAN - SEPTEMBER 2020 - SCHOOL DISTRICT 68

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2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR - STAGE2 RESTARTPLAN NLPS RESTART PLAN - SEPTEMBER 2020 - SCHOOL DISTRICT 68
August 26, 2020

                                   NLPS Restart Plan – September 2020
Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools
395 Wakesiah Avenue
Nanaimo, BC V9R 3K6
www.sd68.bc.ca

                                    Stage 2       Restart Plan
               2020-2021 School Year
2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR - STAGE2 RESTARTPLAN NLPS RESTART PLAN - SEPTEMBER 2020 - SCHOOL DISTRICT 68
NLPS Restart Plan – September 2020

    Table of Contents
NLPS Restart Plan – September 2020 Pg 2

 Health and Safety Pg 3

Learning Groups Pg 12

 Students with Diverse Abilities/Disabilities Pg 20

       Communication and Engagement Pg 21

      Transportation Pg 23
2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR - STAGE2 RESTARTPLAN NLPS RESTART PLAN - SEPTEMBER 2020 - SCHOOL DISTRICT 68
Page 2

                                           NLPS Restart Plan – September 2020

                                              Introduction

                                              School districts were expected to use a
Success for All!                              Ministry of Education template to outline
                                              their Stage 2 Restart Plan to begin the 2020-
                                              21 school year. Districts were directed to
We acknowledge, respect                       plan using information available in B.C.’s K-
and honour that we reside                     12 Education Restart Plan, Expectations for
                                              Each Stage summary and the revised BC
on the traditional, ancestral,                Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) COVID-
and unceded territory of the                  19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 School
Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus,                       Settings.
and Snaw-naw-as First                         Stage 2 plans followed WorkSafeBC
Nations.                                      guidelines.

                                                                    Screening
  “Your patience and understanding are                              for illness
  greatly appreciated as we prepare
  Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools for                                                Strict illness
  the safest return to school possible.”         Learning                              protocols
                                                  groups

                 Scott Saywell
                 Superintendent                                School                      Handwashing
                                               PPE &         Community                      & sanitizing
                                               masks

               Charlene McKay
                                                                                   Physical
               School Trustee (Board Chair)              Cleaning
                                                                                  distancing
                                                        standards
2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR - STAGE2 RESTARTPLAN NLPS RESTART PLAN - SEPTEMBER 2020 - SCHOOL DISTRICT 68
Page 3

                                                             NLPS COVID-19 Continuity of Learning
                                                                Health and
                                      Framework for Teaching & Learning fromSafety
                                                                             Home

Cleaning and disinfecting

Schools are cleaned and disinfected in accordance with the BCCDC’s Cleaning and Disinfectants for
Public Settings document. In our schools, this looks like:

     Students bring in and take home their own        Frequently touched classroom surfaces may
     school supplies and materials daily              be cleaned and disinfected by the
                                                      classroom staff with ready-to-use Virox5
     Enforcing ‘no sharing’ policy for food,
                                                      cleaner (as required), including:
     technology, art supplies, etc.
     Disabled drinking fountains                       ⁻ Doorknobs, light switches, keyboards,
                                                         toys
     Paper towels rather than hand dryers
                                                       ⁻ Classroom staff may leave a whiteboard
     Each classroom will have a spray bottle of          note for the custodian
     Virox5 RTU disinfectant and gloves. SDS
                                                      Frequently touched common area surfaces
     sheets for the Virox will be posted on the
                                                      will be cleaned and disinfected at least
     safety board in staff room and emailed to all
                                                      twice a day by custodian with disinfectant
     Principals and Vice-Principals
                                                      cleaner including:
     Protocols for cleaning common devices like
                                                       ⁻ Doorknobs, light switches, tables,
     photocopiers and student technology
                                                         desks, chairs, toilet handles, washrooms
     Custodians on dayshift for daytime
     disinfecting requirements and afternoon
     shift for remaining cleaning duties and
     disinfecting
     General cleaning and disinfecting of the
     premises, once every 24 hours including:                   Staff
     ⁻ Items that only a single student uses,
       like an individual desk or chair. Lockers                The demand on custodial staff will be
       will be bolted closed and not used                       high. Schools are asked to minimize
                                                                impact by:
     ⁻ Cleaning and disinfecting - clean and
       disinfect any surface that is visibly dirty                 Having students thoroughly wipe
       daily                                                       feet before entering the building
     ⁻ Empty garbage containers daily                              Ensuring students and staff clean
                                                                   up after themselves
     ⁻ Wear disposable gloves when cleaning
       blood or body fluids (e.g., runny nose,                   Custodial use of masks is required as
       vomit, stool, urine). Wash hands before                   they may be exposed to multiple
       wearing and after removing gloves                         learning groups in both elementary
                                                                 and secondary schools.
2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR - STAGE2 RESTARTPLAN NLPS RESTART PLAN - SEPTEMBER 2020 - SCHOOL DISTRICT 68
Page 4

                                                           NLPS COVID-19 Continuity of Learning
                                                                Health and
                                      Framework for Teaching & Learning fromSafety
                                                                             Home

Physical distancing strategies                       Hand Hygiene
Each classroom is set up to allow as much            The NLPS Facilities Department is
physical distancing and efficient cleaning as        currently ensuring access to sinks
possible.                                            focusing on 1) Portables without sinks;
All hallways to be cleared to enable efficient       2) Classes without sinks; and 3)
cleaning and maximum physical distancing. No         Classrooms without hot water. Hand
tables, chairs, etc. in hallways.                    sanitizing dispensers have been installed
To enable additional cleaning and maximum
                                                     in all school and district facilities to
space, unnecessary items will be removed from        supplement handwashing.
all classrooms, such as:
                                                     Rigorous hand washing with plain soap
  Removable carpets
                                                     and water is the most effective way to
  Couches and extra chairs                           reduce the spread of illness. Both
  If these extra items are personal items of the     students and staff can pick up and
  teachers, they are be taken home to avoid          spread germs easily, from objects,
  using up storage space at schools (i.e. Gyms,      surfaces, food and people. Everyone
  Multipurpose Rooms, etc.).                         should practice diligent hand hygiene.
Operations will work closely with Principals and     Parents and staff can teach and reinforce
Vice-Principals at each school to coordinate and     these practices amongst students.
assist with room setups.
                                                     The BCCDC handwashing posters are
                                                     displayed in washrooms, at classroom
                                                     sinks, at school entrances and at other
                                                     handwashing sites.

Signage for traffic flow will be posted
throughout all district facilities. Floor markings
have been ordered for:
   Traffic flow throughout the school/facilities
   Direct movement within the buildings (ex:
   arrows on floors/walls, closed signs)
   Safe work zones
Page 5

                                                             NLPS COVID-19 Continuity of Learning
                                                               Health and
                                     Framework for Teaching & Learning fromSafety
                                                                            Home

Inside Schools
   Implementing learning groups of no more than 60             Hand sanitizer is available in all
   people (students and staff) in elementary schools.          classrooms without a sink (as of
                                                               June 2020). Main entrance points
   Implementing learning groups of no more than 120            were supplied with hand sanitizer
   people (students and staff) in secondary schools.           stations in June. For September,
   A learning group is a group of students and staff who       we have approved 300 hand
   remain together throughout the school term.                 sanitizer stations (funded from the
                                                               Ministry grant). This would see
   Within the learning group, minimized physical contact       additional high-volume entryways
   should be encouraged, but a two-metre physical              provided with hand sanitizer
   distance does not need to be maintained.                    stations and would upgrade
   Support elementary aged students to have minimized          classrooms with bottles of hand
   physical contact with one another.                          sanitizer to a wall mounted hand
                                                               sanitizer station. Wall mounted
   Continued practice of two-metre physical distancing of
                                                               stations will provide more security
   those outside a learning group when interacting with a
                                                               and ease of maintenance.
   learning group.
   Staff and adults should maintain two-metres of physical     Further, we have reviewed and are
   distance from each other unless they are part of the        in the design stage of a project to
   same learning group. This includes break times and          add sinks to every portable which
   meetings.                                                   does not currently have one (6 in
   Use of floor marking and posters to address the flow of     total). We confirmed by survey
   traffic throughout the school, including one-way            that all elementary classrooms
   hallways and staircases, designated entrances and exit      have sinks (Secondary classrooms
   doors, and designated doors for students and staff.         have hand sanitizer stations).

   Installation of barriers at reception areas and places
   where physical distancing cannot be maintained or
   persons interacting with multiple learning groups.

Outside
   Elementary school students can socialize with peers
   from other learning groups providing they minimize
   physical contact.
   Secondary school students must maintain two-metres
   of physical distancing when socializing with peers from
   different learning groups.
Page 6

                                                             NLPS COVID-19 Continuity of Learning
                                                              Health and
                                    Framework for Teaching & Learning fromSafety
                                                                           Home

School Gatherings
  School gatherings should occur within the learning group and not exceed the maximum size.
  Minimize the amount of gathering throughout the year.

Implementation of these strategies
  Stagger drop off and pick up, lunch and break times
  Stagger classroom transition times
  Avoid close greetings (e.g., hugs, handshakes)
  Remind students about keeping their “hands to yourself”
  Spread people out into different areas:
   ⁻ Identify break out/additional spaces for overflow
   ⁻ Reconfigure classroom so that students are not facing each other
   ⁻ Use consistent seating arrangements
  Minimize the number of staff who interact with students in a day

  Minimize hallway travel:
   ⁻ Where possible, use exterior classroom
     doors
   ⁻ Stagger recess, snack, lunch and class
     transition times
                                                                           The NLPS Central
  Take students outside more often:                                        Health and Safety
   ⁻ Schedule snack time, place-based learning                             Committee became
     and unstructured time outdoors                                        operational on
   ⁻ Take movement activities, including those                             February 3, 1997
     for physical health and education outside
   ⁻ Playgrounds are safe environments. Ensure                              The latest Central
     appropriate hand hygiene practices                                     Health and Safety
  Minimize group activities:                                                Committee meeting
   ⁻ Adapt group activities to minimize physical                            was August 25,
     contact and eliminate shared items                                     2020
   ⁻ Hold virtual assemblies to minimize large
     numbers gathered in one space
Page 7

                                                                NLPS COVID-19 Continuity of Learning
                                                              Health and
                                    Framework for Teaching & Learning fromSafety
                                                                           Home

Strategies to ensure diligent hand hygiene
  Encourage hand washing with water and soap upon arrival at school.
  Regularly remind staff and students about the importance of diligent hand hygiene.
  Incorporate additional hand hygiene opportunities into the daily schedule. Before and after breaks,
  before eating, using the washroom, and using gym/playground equipment.
  Custodians will ensure hand washing supplies are well stocked at all times including soap, paper
  towels and where appropriate, alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHR) with a minimum of 60% alcohol.
  Staff should assist younger students with hand hygiene as needed.

How to practice diligent hand hygiene
    Wash hands with plain soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Antibacterial soap is not needed
    for COVID-19.
    Hand sanitizing dispensers are located in all school entries to supplement hand washing.
    If hands are visibly soiled, alcohol-based hand rub may not be effective at eliminating respiratory
    viruses. Soap and water are preferred when hands are visibly dirty.
    Post the BCCDC’s hand washing poster in washrooms and at classroom sinks
Page 8

                                                                              Health and Safety

                                            Personal protective equipment
                                            for students and staff

                                            NLPS has ordered 5,500 reusable adult masks, 30,000
                                            reusable masks for students and 15,000 disposable masks.
                                            The district is also sourcing face shields and will continue to
                                            source masks in order to meet the requirements. Each
                                            student and staff member will be provided with two
                                            reusable masks. Disposable masks will be available for use
                                            at all district facilities.

  Masks are required for all staff and all students in secondary schools when they are in high traffic
  areas such as school buses and hallways, or anytime they are outside of their learning group and they
  cannot safely distance from others.
        TTOCs, EAs, specialist teachers and other staff must wear masks when working in close
        proximity to students across different learning groups.
        Students and staff will have the option to wear a mask in the classroom.
        Bus drivers are encouraged to wear a mask or face covering when they cannot physically
        distance in the course of their duties.
        Secondary students are required to wear masks on school buses.

Staff and students will still be required to maintain physical
distance from people outside of their learning group.
Exceptions will be made for students who cannot wear a
mask for medical reasons.

Elementary school students are not required to wear masks
but can wear one if they decide to do so.

Where physical distancing cannot be maintained, and the person is interacting with people from
outside their learning group, masks should be worn.

Managing students with complex behaviours, on a delegated care plan or experiencing a health
emergency may require staff to be in close physical proximity with the student. No additional
personal protective equipment is required (for reducing COVID-19 transmission) beyond
precautions regularly taken or previously identified for the use with a specific student.
Page 9

                                                                   Health and Safety

Symptom assessment and illness
                                                     Parents and caregivers must assess their
policies/procedures                                  child daily for symptoms of the common
                                                     cold, influenza, COVID-19, or other
Any student, staff or other person within the        infectious respiratory disease before
school who has symptoms of COVID-19 OR               sending them to school. Staff and other
travelled outside Canada in the last 14 days OR      adults must assess themselves daily for
was identified as a close contact of a confirmed     symptoms of the common cold, influenza,
case or outbreak MUST STAY HOME AND SELF             or COVID-19 prior to entering the school.
ISOLATE.                                             If a child has any symptoms, they must not
                                                     go to school. If staff or any adult has any
Any student, staff, or other person within the       symptoms, they must not enter the school.
school who has a cold, influenza, or COVID-19-like
symptoms should seek assessment by a health-         If a staff member or student experiences
care provider.                                       symptoms of COVID-19 while at school,
                                                     staff will immediately separate the
Students or staff may still attend school if a       symptomatic student or staff member
member of their household has a cold, influenza,     from others and make arrangements for
or COVID19-like symptoms, provided the               that student or staff member to be picked
student/staff is asymptomatic. It is expected the    up. The Operations Manager will be
symptomatic household member is seeking              notified and will arrange the
assessment by a health-care provider.                cleaning/disinfecting of any areas used by
                                                     the student or staff member.
Students and staff who experience seasonal
allergies or other COVID-19-like symptoms, which     Parents and caregivers must assess their
are related to an existing condition can continue    child(ren) daily for symptoms of common
to attend school when they are experiencing these    cold, influenza, COVID-19 or other
symptoms as normal. If they experience any           infectious respiratory disease before
change in symptoms, they should seek assessment      sending them to school.
by a health-care provider.
                                                     Staff and other adults must assess
                                                     themselves daily for symptoms of common
                                                     cold, influenza, COVID-19 or other
                                                     infectious respiratory disease before
                                                     sending them to school. If a child has any
                                                     symptoms they must not go to school. If
                                                     staff or any adult has any symptoms they
                                                     must not go to school.
Page 10

                                                                      Health and Safety

                                           Buildings equipped with ventilation systems
                                           1. August 18 - Ventilation rate on all air handlers
                                              has been changed by SD EST; increased to a
                                              minimum of 15% (more outside air being pulled
Improvements to school
                                              in while system is running).
ventilation systems (if required)
                                           2. Systematic inspection, repair, and
                                              recommissioning of systems is progressing by
The NLPS Facilities Department is             HVAC department. They ensure all equipment is
currently assessing all HVAC systems to       operational, coils washed with cleaning solution,
review the ability to improve                 and filters are changed 3 times/year –filters will
ventilation and increase fresh airflow        be new for school start-up. They ensure ducting
in schools. Additionally, staff will          is clean and will provide feedback to the
check for duct cleanliness and provide        Manager.
recommendation(s) and priorities for
consideration of a duct cleaning                  a. NLPS reviewed the use of MERV 13 filters in
program. Staff will also continue to                 our existing systems with our Mechanical
                                                     engineer. Our air handler systems are not
review the filter replacement program
                                                     designed to use the higher rated MERV filters
to ensure that replacement schedules
                                                     due to increased air flow restrictions. We
are optimal and support current health               plan to continue to use the MERV 10 as
and safety goals of the users.                       designed. We will be moving to the MERV 13
                                                     standard for new systems.
Other Buildings/Issues                     3. Ventilation equipment starts 1 hour minimum
                                              before school begins; optimum start is enabled,
1. Inspect air to air heat exchangers in      equipment will come on earlier if temperature
   portables to ensure operational,           requires (Remains unchanged).
   repair if required (WO sent to          4. We plan to operate all HVAC equipment in
   Maintenance).                              occupied mode for 1 week prior to occupancy.
2. Two elementary schools (Cilaire            (Ventilate building).
   Elementary and Ladysmith                5. We plan to extend ventilation schedule beyond
   Intermediate) have classrooms              the final school bell, until 5:00 pm (pull outside
   with no ventilation (solution open         air in for at least 2 hours after students leave)
   windows, and increase the heat as
   required). NLPS submitted a             6. Operations department to ‘Chlorox 360’ all
   request for an upgrade to the              rooms starting at 5:00 pm, ventilation off.
   heating system at Claire                   Buildings will be ‘clean’ for school start up next
   Elementary in the 5-year capital           day. (ventilation to start in 1 hour previous to
   plan and we plan to include an             school session).
   upgrade to Ladysmith Intermediate       7. School staff should leave building before Chlorox
   in next years’ capital plan                cleaning (5:00 pm).
   submission.
Page 11

                                                                             Health and Safety

All staff entering all NLPS buildings will participate in the School Safety COVID-19
Pandemic Orientation.

School Sites
Principals and vice-principals will schedule in person safety orientation with small groups: CUPE
September 8 and 9, NDTA September 8 or 9.

All District Sites
Staff to convene an onsite Site Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee meeting on August 31 to
review the site specific WorkSafeBC COVID-19 Safety Plan. Convene a second Site Joint Occupational
Health & Safety Committee meeting on September 3 for a final inspection prior to the arrival of
students to ensure preparation for safe work is completed.

All new NLPS staff will attend an online Safety Orientation on September 3. Once a staff person has
been assigned to a school or district location, a site-specific safety orientation will be provided by the
Principal, Vice-Principal or Manager. TTOCs and Itinerate staff will attend an online Safety Orientation
on September 8 and 9.

Some Plexiglas barriers have been placed in offices. These adjustment are considered when issues are
brought to the attention of the Facilities and Learning Services Departments via the EOC (Emergency
Operations Committee). The process for adjustments is:

     The staff member with the concern approach their manager.
     The manager either puts an operational fix in place or gets the information to the department lead.
     Department lead discusses the item at EOC.
     EOC is then informed, discusses and direction/support is expressed.
     Once supported, facilities staff would attend site with OH&S to meet with staff and supervisor to
     review and confirm solution or options.
     Costs of solutions checked with Finance prior to proceeding.
     When funding secured project scheduled and completed.
     Operational adjustments may need to be made by the responsible manager, if the above solution is
     not in place when required.
Page 12

                                                                           Learning Groups

Elementary Schools (Grades K-7)
NLPS has 28 elementary schools. There will be approximately two regular classes of 30
people in a learning group of no more than 60 people; learning groups will be comprised
of two classrooms in close proximity and close in grade level. During non-instructional time
such as breaks, students can socialize with peers in different learning groups if they are
outdoors and can minimize physical contact or if they are indoors and can maintain
physical distance.

            However, larger elementary schools or school properties with a small physical
            footprint may utilize an approach as follows:
                Create smaller outdoor areas that are clearly defined within the property
                Assign learning groups to each of the outdoor areas
                Examples:
                 ⁻   Large elementary schools of 425 students will have 10 outdoor 'regions' with
                     purpose at each region (if playground equip, then that is purpose, if a field -
                     equipment will be provided).
                 ⁻   Learning groups assigned a region and these assignments will rotate
                     throughout the week.
                 ⁻   These regions will be available and assigned throughout the day, in addition
                     to recess break, so that students have more opportunities to be outside.
                 ⁻   Small elementary schools of 195 students and very small, urban school
                     property will employ a combination of outdoor 'regions' and staggered
                     recess times. Classroom changes will be staggered by learning groups, such
                     as entry at the start of day and exit at end of day.
                 ⁻   If classrooms don't have exterior door, the closest exterior door will become
                     the entrance/exit.
Page 13

                                                                    Learning Groups

Continuity of Learning Elementary
Schools
Elementary Operational Guidelines already have
Stages 2 and 3 completed, with an outline for Stage 4
complete. All aspects of school operations are
included in these guidelines. We are approaching
Stage 2 Continuity of Learning with a requirement to    We have established online platforms
weave into classroom learning, an online component,     that are supported by the district and
so that when we move to Stage 3, we are more            are the only ones being used, with
prepared for a hybrid approach.                         accompanying training. If a student is
                                                        away due to self-isolation/quarantine,
  K - 7 Scope & Sequence for each grade level           the Scope & Sequence allow for all to
  distributed to all teachers.                          know what is being taught at any given
  These will be distributed in 4-6 week installments.   time, so that when a student will be
                                                        away, we can provide at home learning
  This will support teaching and learning from a        based on the components of the Scope
  pedagogical standpoint during Stage 2.                & Sequence.
  This Scope & Sequence will also have an               In addition, when we move to Stage 3,
  educational technology component woven                the Scope & Sequence can be
  throughout, so that teachers will need to consider    augmented to give explicit support to
  and include these components in their teaching        teachers while providing a hybrid
  during Stage 2 when they are NOT required to          approach. If a student is away for 2
  teach in a hybrid format.                             weeks or less, the classroom teacher
  This allows teachers to experiment, attend Pro        and support from District Learning
  Learning opportunities and establish stronger         Coordinator will provide the continuity
  practices around using technology. They can learn     of learning, if required; more than 2
  in a less stressful environment during Stage 2, as    weeks, a referral can be made to
  online learning is not a formal component.            District Inclusion Support Team to
                                                        provide an at home learning plan.
  When we move to Stage 3, teachers will have a
  foundation to their hybrid approach, therefore
  making Stage 3 more manageable and successful.
  We have District Learning Coordinators assigned to
  grade levels to complete the Scope & Sequences,
  build grade level webpages for resource support.
  LC support - websites, scope and sequence –
  resources.
  A staff person at each school is assigned to track
  students who are in isolation and/or quarantine.
Page 14

                                                                              Learning Groups

Elementary and Secondary Schools

In some cases, itinerant/non-enrolling staff may be assigned to a limited number of
learning groups within a school as follows:
    Staff will move, not whole classes.
    Prearrange a weekly schedule to allow for each site to organize scheduling of spaces.
    Do not share office space with a second adult at the same time. Two people may use the same
    space on different days.
    Schools may assign individuals to sections of libraries, multipurpose rooms, etc. as an alternative.
    Any intervention or collaboration with students or other adults should occur where it is possible to
    social distance.
    Small offices can be used for report writing.
    Physical barriers and PPE may be utilized when working with students. Attempt to maintain
    physical distancing where possible.
    Masks should be worn where it is not possible to social distance.
    Avoid the use of soft/fabric items such as puppets or stuffed animals.
    Wipe down manipulative materials and desk surfaces in between students. It is not necessary to
    wipe down print-based materials.
    Where students from multiple learning groups must be part of the same group, establish physical
    distancing as much as possible, and do not allow students to share manipulative materials.
    Multiple adults may work in a classroom environment at one time.
    Individuals who are not part of a specific learning group should wear a mask and adhere to
    physical distancing when interacting with individuals in classrooms.
    If necessary, face-to-face meetings with school teams can be held in designated meeting spaces,
    where physical distancing can be maintained.
    Continue with virtual/teletherapy supports for learners who are not on-site, as appropriate.
Page 15

                                                                           Learning Groups

Secondary Schools (Grades 8-12)
NLPS has six secondary schools (Grades 8-12), one Learning Alternative school (Grades 8-
12), and one Distance Learning school (K-12). One secondary school has less than 300
students, two schools have between 300-800 students, two schools have between 800-
1,500 students, and one school has over 1,500 students.

All of our secondary schools are building       Schools are working to ensure that course
learning groups on a Quarter, or Copernican,    offerings are not being reduced. Classes that have
system. This move from a semester system        more than one learning group (for example, an art
will ensure that learning groups are under      class that has students in Grades 10, 11, and 12
120 in size. Where possible, teaching           from three or more learning groups) will maintain
assignments are being aligned with student      physical distancing and will make use of assigned
learning groups to reduce the number of         seating to separate learning groups, make use of
teachers that students interact with and to     flexible or additional learning space, or use a
allow teachers to be members of the             hybrid model that supplements in-class instruction
learning group. Where that is not possible,     with remote learning. In classes where a hybrid
teachers will maintain physical distancing      model is necessary, all student schedules will
while working with students outside of their    ensure that students attend one learning group
learning group.                                 class five days a week, and the second, non-
                                                learning group class, a minimum of half-time face
For example, some elective teachers will be     to face for each quarter. Most non-learning group
working with more than one learning group.      classes will have students face to face three, four,
                                                or five days a week.
For students K-12 we have learning groups.
Students are in learning groups, except as      All schools will stagger breaks for learning groups
noted for multi-grade elective courses, in      throughout the day. The three largest schools
which case physical distancing will be in       (Dover Bay, Wellington and NDSS) will be
place for students who are not within the       staggering start and end times, as well as break
learning group, additional teaching/learning    and lunch times.
space is used, or remote learning for some
students. In these classes, all students will   All schools will be reducing the area within the
attend 3, 4, or 5 days per week.                building that each learning group will have access
                                                to during non-instructional time. For example,
                                                different learning groups will use different
                                                entrances, washrooms, and social spaces.
Page 16

                                                                              Learning Groups

Continuity of Learning Secondary Schools

We will be providing professional learning opportunities to teachers in September. This is an extension of
professional learning sessions provided in April/May/June. These sessions will assist teachers in the use of
technology, both for in-class instruction and remote learning. The sessions will also help secondary
teachers make the shift from teaching in a semester system to teaching in a quarter system. Teachers will
identify learning standards, skills, and core competencies that are best learned through face-to-face
instruction and those competencies, skills, and standards that are suitable for more independent, remote
learning. This will assist both teachers and students as we move between the stages, and for those
students who may need to self-isolate or quarantine.

       As we did in April/May/June, we will provide Chromebooks for home use to students who do not
       have technology at home when we are in stages 3 or 4.

     SAMPLE SECONDARY RESTART PLAN

                     Wellington Secondary’s restart plan is designed to follow the Provincial
                     Health Authority’s safety protocols to ensure, as much as possible, the
                     health and safety of our students and staff. We are also reconfiguring
                     our schedule to allow, as much as possible, continuity of learning in the
                     core subject areas for Grades 8-12 while working within a district-wide
                     quarter system at secondary. We are also mindful of teacher
                     workloads by keeping assignments reasonable and somewhat
                     consistent with what was communicated to them in June. We are also,
                     as much as possible, trying to honour student choice in the electives
                     and core course flavours at the senior level. We are making sure that
                     our plan is inclusive by creating student learning groups that reflect
                     the diversity of our learners.

                                       This plan is a preliminary plan that gives an indication
                                       of how we see school operating in the fall with the
                                       understanding that we will continue to be responsive
                                       to the directions of the Health Authority, the Province,
                                       the District and our Stakeholder groups.
Page 17

                                                                        Learning Groups

               Timetable structure
               Wellington Secondary will be working within the quarter system alongside all other
               NLPS secondary schools. Within that quarter system, we are structuring our Grade
               8s such that students will have exposure to the core academic courses over two
SAMPLE         alternating quarters, allowing for continuity of learning in these subject areas. We
               are looking at this possibility with our Grade 9s and Grade 10s as well, but elective
               choice may complicate our ability to do so.

 At the senior level (Grades 11&12), we are exploring how to build core academic pods of students
 who will learn together in each quarter. Using a combination of hybrid classes, electives will be
 delivered in such a way that students will be able to physically distance and, therefore, we can
 honour student choice. We will attempt to pod elective choices with academic learning groups as
 much as possible.

Learning groups
We will be creating learning groups of students to keep contact numbers as small as possible with a
maximum number of student and staff contacts at 120.

Start Times/End Times/Break Times
Wellington Secondary will operate without bells to allow for staggered start/end and break times
while minimizing the disruption to classes that are in session.
Below is an example of how we are looking to structure arrival/departure times and locations:
               ⁻ Grade 8s will arrive through the front doors of the school for an 8:30 a.m. start
                 time.
               ⁻ Grade 9s will arrive through the C-wing doors for an 8:30 a.m. start time.
               ⁻ Grade 10s will arrive through the front doors for a 9:00 a.m. start time.
               ⁻ Grade 11s and 12s will arrive through the C-wing doors for a 9:00 a.m. start time.

             We will stagger break times and times when students would be
             changing classes based on grade level and 120 learning group
             numbers. Currently, we are looking at 35-minute blocks of time to
             stagger throughout the day and across grades in order to allow for
             sufficient time for lunch. Teachers will be well aware of the scheduled
             break times and class change times based on their individual pod
             assignments. Teachers will be expected to welcome and release their
             students at their exact scheduled times so that the number of students
             in the halls and mingling throughout the day is consistently minimized.
Page 18

                                                      Learning Groups

         Traffic Flow
         As was the case in June, there will be one-way traffic in Wellington’s
         halls. There will be signage clearly indicating which direction students
         and staff must travel.
SAMPLE
         Lockers
         Lockers will not be available to students unless under exceptional
         circumstances such as instrument storage. Lockers will be bolted and
         inaccessible for the 2020-21 school year.

         Prep Time
         Within the quarter schedule, teachers will be scheduled for their prep.
         Rather than a semester of single block preps, teachers will get a quarter
         of double block preps. NDTA/District conversations will determine how
         this is managed.
Page 19

                                                                                Learning Groups

 Grades K-7
    Registration has been steadily climbing all summer.                                         SAMPLE
    We will need to add (qualified) staff to manage this growth.
    September will be very busy as we will need to schedule intake meeting for all of these families and have
    them complete their initial assignments before the September 1701 deadlines.
    Traditionally Tuesdays have been our face to face day for K-7. With these numbers we are looking at
    breaking into grade groups and using alternate days.
    Adding and training new staff is going to be a priority.
    Plan to start with more online and remote activities until intake meetings and registration has stabilized.
    Once our numbers and staff have stabilized, we will be looking to add more face to face learning respecting
    our current safety guidelines.
 Grades 8-9
    Registration has increased this summer.
    We will have to add and train new staff to accommodate this growth.
    Face to face activities will be scheduled so that grade learning groups remain in separate spaces.
    Emphasis to start will be creating learning plans and to engage new students online.
    Similar to K-7 we will be looking to add face to face activities as our numbers and staff stabilize.
 Grades 10-12
    As registration is course by course, we haven’t seen an alarming increase in registration yet.
    We predict we will see an increase in September.
    Embedded teachers’ schedule for Barsby, NDSS, Dover and Wellington have been created. Each school has
    a team of 3 with a determined schedule and a balance of Math/Science and Humanities expertise.
    We do not predict any issues with maintaining learning group minimums.

Flow
Contained learning group - under 60
Predicting 10-12 students at this time

Summary
The biggest challenges will be in accommodating so many new full-time students, training and housing
new staff, and creating learning plans before our September 1701 due date.
Page 20

                                                        NLPS COVID-19 Continuity of Learning
                                      Students with  Diverse
                                      Framework for Teaching &Abilities/Disabilities
                                                                Learning from Home

Full Time Instruction for Students
with Diverse Abilities/Disabilities

  Where appropriate, vulnerable learners
  will be included in classroom activities
  with their usual teacher, peer group and
  Education Assistant, as part of a learning
  group.
  Framework is being developed to support
  homebound students who are unable to
  participate in DL structures.
  Tier 2 and 3 Support will continue with
  specialists such as speech-language
  pathologists or other specialist teachers,
  following district Health and Safety            Mental Health Supports
  guidelines.
  IEPs will be created for all students with       ⁻ Counsellors and CYFSWs will provide support for
  Ministry designations.                             students and families.
   Non-enrolling specialists, classroom            ⁻ Connect Parent Program provided remotely
  teachers and/or Education Assistants will          delivered by NLPS staff.
  provide instruction and support.
                                                   ⁻ Updated mental wellness resources for staff,
  The two District Life Skills programs for          students, parents on the district web portal.
  our most complex students will provide
                                                   ⁻ Ongoing in-service provided to staff.
  full-time programming.
                                                   ⁻ For students continuing to learn remotely: SOGI
  School-Based Teams will collaborate with
                                                     leads will make individual phone calls to vulnerable
  families and outside agencies as
                                                     learners; Settlement Worker in Schools and Arabic
  appropriate.
                                                     and Mandarin Cultural Support Workers continue
  Updates to health and safety guidelines            to reach out to families; Counsellors will continue
  include details for working with students          to connect with families remotely; and school
  with health needs or who are unable to             teams are staying in regular contact with
  maintain social distance.                          community agencies.
                                                   ⁻ For teachers, support staff and administrators:
                                                     Communication regarding EFAP and other
                                                     resources will be refreshed with staff; a structure
                                                     for wellness checks with staff has been shared with
                                                     administrators; and staff/administration meetings
                                                     are being held regularly to provide updates.
Page 21

                Communication and Engagement

Goal
To achieve maximum engagement of the student, parent and
general population for the release of the September Restart
Plan.

Objective
To deliver the Restart Plan to 100 percent of registered
students’ families and achieve 3,750 social media impressions
between Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram
(represents 25 percent of total student enrolment).

Tactics
1. Website: post Restart Plan on district website on or before
   August 26, 2020 (if approved early).
2. Social media: Begin sharing the plan on social media on or
   before August 26 (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Schedule
   recurring posts.
3. Video tour: Produce brief video of a school tour. Focus on
   learning groups, health and safety protocols. Gives
   students and families an idea of what to expect when they
   return to school. Post to YouTube beginning August 26.
4. School Messenger: Share Restart Plan directly with
   families on or before August 26. Send via email to approx.
   15,000 student families.
5. Email to staff: Share the Restart Plan directly with staff via
   district email.
Page 22

                                                Communication and Engagement

Key Publics
Students, their families, stakeholders and           Strategy
general community                                    Communicate with students,
  a. Demographics:                                   their families, stakeholders and
      i. Approx. 15,000 enrolled students from
            Kindergarten to Grade 12                 general community on the
      ii. Parents, guardians, extended family        district’s Restart Plan document
            members of enrolled students             via communications channels we
      iii. Nationalities may include: Canadian,
            Francophone, Aboriginal, Metis, Inuit,   employ.
            Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Syrian,
            German, Italian, Southeast Asian and     Nanaimo Ladysmith Public
            Filipino
      iv. Ages five to 100+                          Schools will continue to
      v. Full/part-time workers or stay-at-home      collaborate with our partners and
            parent                                   stakeholders, including
      vi. CUPE, NDTA, DPAC
      vii. Snaw Naw As, Snuneymuxw and               Indigenous Peoples to address
            Stz’uminus First Nations                 any concerns.
      viii. Mid-Island Metis
      ix. Tillicum Lelum
  b. Relationship with organization or issue:
      i. Students spend five days a week in
            building
      ii. Parents trust school system with their
            children
      iii. Community partners (stakeholders)
  c. Opinion leaders:
      i. Parent council representatives
      ii. District parent council representatives
      iii. Indigenous partners
      iv. Stakeholders
      v. Student leaders
      vi. Parent advocates
  d. Viable communications channels:
      i. Social media (Facebook, Twitter,
            YouTube, Instagram)
      ii. School Messenger (Email, SMS text,
            phone)
      iii. District email
      iv. Staff meetings (Microsoft Teams)
Page 23

                                                                       Transportation

              NLPS will operate all bus routes, including special needs routes and routes
              that provide service to First Nations Students. Routes will be adjusted as
              needed based on load sizes and service requirements and school bell
              schedules may also be adjusted or allowances made for students arriving late
              due to bus routes being changed or extended. The use of bus pass cards will
              be enforced to ensure we have an accurate ridership list, for contact reasons,
              in the event of an infection on the bus.

              Buses will continue to be cleaned and disinfected in accordance with the
              BCCDC’s Cleaning and Disinfectants for Public Settings document. Buses will
              also receive wipe downs of high touch surfaces between passenger loads and
              general cleaning as was performed pre-pandemic. Each bus has been
              supplied with a pandemic kit which contains: gloves, disposable masks, hand
              sanitizer, and hand sanitizing wipes. A temporary barrier between the driver
              and passengers has been installed on each bus.

NLPS has procedures for sick students on a bus - if a
student has or is thought to have COVID-19 and has been
on a bus – that bus will be taken from service until
thoroughly cleaned and misted/sprayed with appropriate
misting/spraying machines and virus/bacteria killing
cleaning products.

NLPS has procedures for leaving students at bus stops due
to lowered capacity bus overloads - bus will wait with
student(s) until family or school staff has made
arrangements with the student.

NLPS will continue to encourage private vehicle use for
student transportation where possible to promote physical
distancing and reducing the number of passengers on our
buses.
Page 24

                                                              Transportation

                                              NLPS implemented the
                                              2019-2020 Joint
                                              Transportation Plan as
                                              submitted. Partners will
                                              continue discussions on
                                              effectiveness of the
Strategies to ensure safety on buses
                                              2019-2020 plan, given the
   ₋ Have students sit in their own seat
     wherever possible, students from the     challenges presented by the
     same household can share seats if        pandemic, and submit plans
     space is limited                         for 2020-21 by the October
   ₋ Separate students side to side/front     30 deadline.
     to back
   ₋ Request secondary students wear a
     mask while on the bus
   ₋ Bus driving staff will have the option
     of wearing a mask or face shield         Student transportation on buses
     when transporting special needs
     students                                 The key change from June 2020 is that
   ₋ Disposable gloves will be supplied to    staff and students will be supplied with
     bus driving staff                        reusable masks and secondary students
                                              will be required to wear masks while
   ₋ Supply hand sanitizer for staff and      riding the bus.
     student passengers
   ₋ Supply re-useable masks for bus
     driving staff
   ₋ Make disposable masks available in
     the event secondary students forget
     their mask
Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools
395 Wakesiah Avenue
Nanaimo, BC V9R 3K6
www.sd68.bc.ca

                                   Stage 2   Restart Plan
               2020-2021 School Year
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