​Dear Parents, 

I am writing to provide a quick update on the status of school re-opening. Mission Public Schools is planning to enter Stage Three on June 1^st, and we are working hard to prepare our schools for the re-entry of students.  As noted over the last few weeks, you make the decision as to whether or not to send your child to school. 

Parents of K-6 children should have been contacted by now to determine if they will be attending.  If you haven't heard from your school, please contact your principal. Remember you can always change your mind at a later date in June. Most children can expect to attend 2 days a week, although in some specific cases children may attend more days.  Further, the direction from the Ministry is now an emphasis on in-school instruction, so families that stay online/at home will have reduced learning opportunities for June.  In Mission, elementary teachers will be working online primarily on Wednesdays.

Please note that while every effort is being made to have our buses up to new specifications for June 1^st, we may not be able to offer bussing in the initial period of this return to school. We will update this information as soon as possible.

Parents of children in grades 7-12 can expect online learning to continue in a fairly similar fashion to what it is now.  Your child's teachers will be available at school for additional support as needed and arranged.  Students will not have 'regular' classes at school for June in Middle and Secondary grades.

I am sure many of you have questions about Health and Safety.  Please find the provincial guidelines on our website or here: COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 School Settings. These guidelines were developed by the Provincial Health Officer with input from a variety of stakeholders, and are in place province wide.  Our local Health and Safety Manager, principals, and employees have been working to ensure compliance as well as local problem solving for the unique geography and layout of our schools and classrooms.

What will this look like?  Schools will have maximum limits on the number of students and adults in a building and in specific spaces.  We will be limiting access to the building for adults that are not staff. Cleaning -and custodial staffing- has increased.  One significant point is that while adults will continue to maintain 2 metre social distancing, the recommendations for children are not the same. The emphasis is on hand washing and not touching each other.  This is based on research on the transmissibility of Covid in children.  Were you to look into a class, you might see, for example, 8 children working with their desks

further apart than normal. Students and staff do not need to wear a mask, as per Dr Henry's guidance. Some activities will not be occurring – for example, playground equipment is still closed at this time, and many musical instruments will not be used. But children will still learn, play, draw, go outside, kick a ball, and so on. Finally, as noted in the guidelines, if your child or someone in your home is ill, please keep them home.

I know this is all uncertainty heaped on uncertainty. Some are referring to this as the 'new normal'. But one certainty is, we will continue to do the very best for the students in our care, and do our utmost to ensure students and staff are safe.  We are also aware that the conditions Covid-19 has caused will not magically abate on June 30^th, and we are preparing for a new normal for September of 2020. 

Some other information links:

• BC's Restart Plan 
• BC's Re-opening Schools announcement 
• Transmission and Children 
• Hand Washing
• BCCDC

We will continue to update you as new information is available.  You can email me anytime with your questions at angus.wilson@mpsd.ca. Please stay healthy and stay safe. 

Sincerely, 

Angus Wilson, Superintendent of Schools