Drayton Heights Public School

• All parents must screen their children every day before leaving home for symptoms of COVID-19.  If there are symptoms, children need to stay home from school.  If COVID-19 is suspected, testing is recommended. 
• Link to Self-Screening Tool 

• Backpack or tote bag for personal belongings
• Face masks that are labeled with initials/name – they may need more than one 
• Personal water bottle that is labeled (drinking fountains will be used only for bottle filling)
• Seasonal outdoor wear and a pair of “indoor” shoes
• Only those items that are necessary for the day (e.g., pencils, pencil crayons, glue stick – for personal use only). Your child’s teacher will let students and families know what additional supplies would be helpful in their class during the staggered entry. 

If you are a family who has a device that was loaned out, please note that all SEA equipment and/or Chromebooks are expected to be returned to school on Tuesday, September 7th, 2021.

When coming to the school on the first day, teachers will have large signs indicating their grades and will help to guide students to the appropriate teacher.  Students will look for their grade and approach the teacher with the sign on where to line up.  Students are welcome to approach any adult on the yard for assistance in locating their new class/teacher as each teacher will have a class list for all grades in the school.  

• • Only students will enter onto the school yard  
  • Parents/Guardians who want to stay can say goodbye at the gate/fence near the bus drop off zone, or at the grassed area beside the parking lot. 
  • “Drop and Go” procedures are in effect for the Parent Loop (map). Parents are not permitted to be in the yard, but can wait at the side of the Primary Yard behind the pylons.  Staff will be available to direct families to the drop off areas
  • There will be staff out to help direct students if they are unsure where to go.  All teachers will be at their class designated areas at the 8:50 bell. This will be their class ‘spot’ for the remainder of the year when entering first thing in the morning.
• We ask that walkers be dropped off as close to 8:50am as possible to avoid congregating on the yard and/or having to stand in their class lines for longer than necessary.  Bus students will be supervised upon arrival to school.

• Supervisors will be at the door to monitor student distance and greet our students, as well as provide sanitizer for student use as they enter the school.
• If it rains, students will go to their homeroom classrooms. There will be staff to help to direct students to their classrooms. 

Walkers:

• Students are encouraged to arrive only a few minutes before entry time at 8:50 in order to minimize mingling of class cohorts. Once at school, students will line up with their classmates until the bell rings, following physical distance guidelines..  
• Students will enter the yard (map). There are only 2 areas students can enter the yard. At the Bus Loop (see green arrow on map) and at the Parent Loop (see green arrows on map) 

Bus Students:

• Students who arrive on buses will enter the yard at the bus drop off zone in front of the school, and make their way to the back to join their class peers at their designated line up area.

Students Driven to School (by family members):

• The Parent Loop (area of the parking lot) will be used as a “drop and go” area. Parents can stop, students should get out of the car quickly 
• Students should be directed to walk on the grass (near the fence) on the far side of the parking lot.(map)
• Students should not be walking through the parking lot – instead, they should walk on the grass leading to the portable to enter the yard
• Parents should not park in the “parent loop”, the parking lot or leave their car unattended
• Parents driving their children may park off school property if need be. 

• To facilitate speedy entry in the morning and to limit unnecessary travel through the building, each grade/class will be assigned an entry/exit door. This will be the only door that students will use for entering the building, for accessing outdoor activities (and recess) and departing at the end of the school day. 
  • Primary Doors
  • Bus Loop Doors
  • Junior/Intermediate Doors 
• The main front door 
  • will be used by students arriving after the 8:50 bell 
  • Will be used by students leaving early (being picked up by parents who have called)

• Students will enter the yard and find their teacher’s name attached to a chair/ pylon.  There will be staff to help direct students where to go.   Keeping socially-distanced, students will meet their teacher and their classmates. When the bell rings, teachers will direct their class to the location where they will line up for entry time; this will be their classes ‘spot’ for the remainder of the year when entering in the morning. 

• A “Greeter” will meet each student at their assigned point of entry first thing in the morning.  Students will sanitize their hands prior to entering the building with UGDSB supplied sanitizer.

• Students who arrive after 8:50 AM will enter at the main door at the front. The office staff will let your child’s teacher know that they are on their way to class. If students arrive later in the day, parents should call the school or walk them to the main entrance and ring the doorbell. staff. Once attendance has been recorded, the student will be directed to their classroom. 

• Students will line up in designated areas at the entry bell
• Teachers/ supervisors will lead students to their classrooms and as they enter staff will remind students to keep socially distanced while controlling the flow in the halls.

• Before leaving classrooms, students will wash/sanitize their hands
• Classes have been staggered so that there are fewer students outside at the same time
• At this time, classes will not have designated areas on the yard to play as they did last year.  Classes are permitted to interact with each other with physical-distancing encouraged between students from different classes.
• Upon re-entry from recess, students will line up, wash/sanitizer their hands before entering the building.

• As in past years, students will eat in their classrooms and at their assigned desk/work space
• Students will not be permitted to leave property during lunch breaks
• For younger grades, there will not be older student helpers at this time.  Staff on duty can help with containers, however, families should pack food and snacks in containers that they know their child/ren can easily open
• Recyclables and unfinished food items will be sent home with students. 
• Students will be reminded to put masks back on once they have finished eating.

• Students will exit the school using the same doors they use for entering, teachers will direct students as to which door to use if they take a bus.
• Primary teachers will let parents know specific instructions related to primary students
• Parents/guardians should wait outside of the school yard ( the same place students were dropped off in the am)  for their child/ren and adhere to physical distancing and mask protocols 
• Bus students will wait in designated areas (at front of school)  and be called to the bus loading area once their bus arrives. 
• Due to the high volume of traffic, the Parent Loop will be closed at the end of the day. Parents picking up students will need to park off school property. The Reform Church across the road has given permission for our families to use their parking lot. 

Please complete the appropriate form for Life Threatening Medical Conditions and/or the Consent for Administration of Oral Medication form prior to coming on the first days of school.  You can drop off the completed forms with the medication to our staff on your child’s first day of school (see staggered entry) at a table at the main entrance.

• When your child/ren is going to be absent from school, please leave a message (messages can be left at any time) at 519-638-3067. 
• If the self-assessment recommends that your child not be at school, please advise us of that. 
• Remember that if your child is unwell, to keep them at home and let us know on our attendance line.

Each classroom teacher will indicate the best form of communication between class and home (e.g. email, agenda, communication book, or phone call).

At this time, face-to-face meetings are not possible.  If you would like to arrange a phone cal or virtual meeting, please email your child’s teacher or contact the office so that we can help make the connection.  

All parents and visitors will not be permitted inside schools during the pandemic, except in case of emergency. At entry and dismissal times, parents are to remain off the school grounds for teachers to bring the students out.