Campus Re-Opening Logistics JK/SK

We all have an important role to play in keeping our school safe and open for our students.  We ask that before you come to school each day, you use our Health Screening Tool to complete a self-assessment to ensure that you and your daughter are free from fever and other symptoms associated with COVID-19. Your daughter will be asked each day about her self-assessment.  Anyone who has symptoms outlined in the ‘COVID-19 Reference Document for Symptoms’ on the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 website will not be allowed access to the school.

Families of students in Junior and Senior Kindergarten should arrive between 8:00 and 9:00 am. 

Parents are asked to practice “kiss n’ go” procedures for drop-off– say goodbye to your daughter from the car and let her out at the designated student drop off area in front of the Junior School.  There your daughter will be greeted and should enter the building through the front door. Mrs. Blackadar or Ms. Hanratty will be inside the front hall to  welcome your daughter. She will  have her temperature taken and be directed to sanitize her hands as part of her new school routine.  Once she has been screened, she will enter her classroom under the supervision of her teachers to start her day. 

When she enters the school, she will be welcomed, have her temperature taken and be directed to sanitize her hands as part of her new school routine.  Once she has been screened, she will enter her classroom under the supervision of her teachers to start her day.

A diagram indicating key drop-off and pick-up areas is here.

Your daughter will wear the Early Years’ summer uniform, which consists of a gingham dress, bike shorts, and socks.  Depending on the weather, she may also want to wear her Elmwood fleece jacket. In terms of footwear, she should have a pair of indoor running shoes and a pair of outdoor running shoes or boots.  Black shoes are currently optional.

Uniform items can be ordered here.  By the end of September, we will add the “winter polo dress” to the Uniform Shop Online Order form so you can purchase that for the cooler months.

The complete supplies list can be found on the website in the Parent Portal.  In order to reduce any risk of cross-contamination, supplies will remain at school.  Please ensure items are properly labelled.

Students are strongly encouraged to wear masks when they are in the school.  Each student is asked to bring her own non-medical masks- one she will wear into the school and one that she will store in a plastic bag or carrier in case she requires an extra mask over the course of the day.  Ms. Marchard’s Health Tips video provides helpful directions on how to safely put on and take off masks.

Students have the option of bringing their own nut-free lunch and snacks to school or participating in the Elmwood Bistro meal plan.  Meal plan options can be found here.  Lunches and snacks will be eaten in the classroom.  Click here to access the September menu for Junior School.

We have staggered dismissal for the Junior School. Kindergarten students are dismissed at 3:00 pm as usual. The school day for Grade 1-3 will end at 3:15 pm.  Grades 4 and 5 will be dismissed at 3:30 pm. Students registered for the After Care Program will be directed to the lunchroom.  All other students will proceed outside under the supervision of their teachers and will meet their parents in a designated area.

 

A diagram indicating key drop-off and pick-up areas is here.

• If you would like your daughter to be registered in the after-care program, please complete the form here. 
• If your daughter will be participating in the Elmwood Bistro meal plan, please complete the form here.  
• Families living the in west end can participate in our pilot bus program by registering here.

 

Finally, in order to foster the safety of our students, staff, and parents in the Elmwood community, we ask that all parents agree to the following before our return to school on September 9th, 2020.

If a staff member becomes concerned that a student is exhibiting signs of illness, or if a student complains of symptoms, Ms. Marchand, Director of Health, Safety and Wellness will be engaged and the protocol outlined by Ottawa Pubic Health (OPH) will be followed. 

The student will be accompanied to the Junior School isolation room for further assessment and, should the symptoms be confirmed, a decision will be made to have parents pick-up the student and any other household contacts at school.  The isolation room and other affected areas will be cleaned as per ministry guidelines.

The student and other household members must self-isolate and it is recommend they get tested for COVID-19.  Testing must be conducted at one of OPH’s Assessment Centres with a  nasopharyngeal swab (NP swab) and all members of the household must self-isolate while awaiting the results.

In the event of a NEGATIVE result, students (and household members) who have had no symptoms for 24 hours may return to school.

In the event of a POSITIVE result, the household will be directed by OPH to self-isolate for 14 days.

Should the student choose not to get tested, they (and any household members) must remain home for 14 days.  Students who provide written proof of an alternate diagnosis from their Healthcare Provider, may return to school once they have been symptom free for 24 hours.  

In order to reduce any stress or anxiety associated with this procedure, every effort will be made to communicate to the students that this safety precaution is an important part of our regular health routine to protect our community. 

If a student is diagnosed with COVID-19, the Head will follow the directions from Ottawa Public Health to notify all of those that may have been in contact with the student. Contact tracing will take place in consultation with Ottawa Public Health, and some students and staff may need to self-isolate for 14 days.  During that time, students can be supported through At-Home Learning to ensure a continuity of education and connection.  

We encourage all members of our community to download Health Canada’s COVID Alert app to be notified if someone you were near recently has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Government of Canada has issued an Emergency Order under the Quarantine Act that requires any person entering Canada by air, sea, or land to self-isolate for 14 days whether or not they have symptoms of COVID-19.  Compliance is mandatory and enforceable.

In the event of a positive COVID-19 test results for any students or teacher, the Head of School and the Director of Health, Safety and Wellness will work with Ottawa Public Health, and our school’s case manager, to support contact tracing and the appropriate safety protocols.  As per the suggestion of Ottawa Public Health, information about the number of positive cases at the school will be available in a dashboard posted on the Return to School page of our website.  

When a teacher is required to stay at home, either for their own health reasons or the health reasons of a family member, the first and preferred option is to have their classes covered by a member, or members, of the on-campus teaching staff- including teachers who do not have their own class at that time and leadership team staff who can step in.  If required, we will access our list of preferred supply teachers.  These are teachers who have a known relationship with the school and have committed to not supply teach at other schools.
 

We understand there may be questions as the school year starts, and we are committed to getting you the information you need in the most efficient way. Director of Health, Safety and Wellness, Ms. Marchand, is supported by our Joint Health and Safety Committee which includes representation from each school division, our facilities team and the Elmwood Bistro. If you have a question related to health and safety at Elmwood, send your email to health@elmwood.ca and it will be directed to the person best suited to answer your question.