All students, staff of Calgary public school board required to wear masks at start of school year
The Calgary Board of Education will mandate indoor face mask use for all students and staff when the traditional school year begins on Sept. 1.
The move was announced in a letter sent by Christopher Usih, CBE chief superintendent of schools, to parents and guardians Wednesday afternoon.
According to Usih's letter, students from kindergarten through Grade 12 will be required to wear face coverings while inside school buildings.
“We see this as a prudent approach to start up the school year to make sure that students again are in school in person," said Usih. "We want our students to return. I want to do everything possible to ensure that their learning is not disrupted as a result of illness within our schools,”
The decision was made after taking into account increasing COVID-19 case numbers, lower vaccination rates for those ages 12 to 19 and considering that those under 12 are not eligible to receive a vaccine.
“At this time given that the vaccination rates for those 12 to 19 are just a little over 50 per cent …It’s really important that we take those extra precautions," Usih said.
“This provides a greater level of confidence that we taking the extra step to ensure greater safety for all our students and staff, recognizing that health and safety is top priority,” Usih added.
Plans are currently in place to extend the mask guidance of the 2020-2021 school year, including all outlined exceptions, into the start of 2021-2022 but the guidance document will be updated as necessary later this month.
Usih said the mandated use of masks will be reviewed prior to the end of September. Any potential changes to the CBE rules will be made with consideration for active COVID-19 case counts in Calgary and Alberta as well as the direction of Alberta's chief medical officer of health and Alberta Education.
HEALTH MEASURES
CBE students in the modified calendar returned to class earlier this week with the mask requirement in place.
Other health measures will include:
-Students and staff will be expected to use a daily checklist to identify if they have COVID-19 symptoms and should stay home;
-Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of high traffic/touch areas;
-Enhanced ventilation in school;
-Classroom cohorts in kindergarten to Grade 6; and
-No unscheduled visitors or volunteers will be permitted in school at the start of the school year.
The CBE said at the direction of the Chief Medical Officer of Health it will no longer inform close contacts of positive cases, but additional health measures may be implemented if outbreaks occur.
The CBE will be lifting some measures including allowing band and sports activities and some field trips.
The CBE continues to encourage all of its eligible employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.