Masks required in Calgary Catholic School District's back-to-school plan

CALGARY -

Due to increasing COVID-19 case numbers in Alberta, all students, staff and visitors at all schools in Calgary's separate school board will be required to wear masks indoors.

In an email sent to families of students in the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD), the board says the mask requirement applies from kindergarten through Grade 12, for at least the beginning of the year.

"The decision was made after considering the increase of active COVID-19 cases in Alberta and, particularly in Calgary, vaccination rates for youth aged 12-19 and the fact that younger students do not yet have a vaccine available to them," said the letter signed by Chief Superintendent Bryan Szumlas.

Online learning will be available for students to learn from home, with a Sept. 2 deadline to register.

The board will continue to ask staff and families of students to monitor for any symptoms, compare their symptoms to a daily checklist provided by the province, and decide accordingly whether to stay home.

Cohort learning groups will be maintained as much as possible to promote physical distancing.

Shared spaces including lockers and change rooms may be used — sports and performance arts  will resume -— and field trips will be allowed.

Alberta schools are not required to notify close contacts of positive cases, as per the direction of the chief medical officer of health in the updated pandemic policy announced in July.

Entire classes will be required to isolate after an exposure only at the direction of Alberta Health Services.

Staggered relaunch of the 2021-2022 CCSD academic year begins Sept. 1.