COVID-19 Updates

New COVID Checklist and Guidance document

The Government has once again updated the Alberta Health Daily Checklist. This update clarifies some areas that parents have been asking questions about. Please continue to review the checklist with your children each day before sending them to school, follow the recommendations for keeping your children at home when they are sick, and comply with any mandatory isolation requirements that may apply in your situation. 

Late Friday afternoon, the Government also provided an update of its COVID-19 information for K-12 schools and school buses document which details required actions and recommendations for school divisions in relation to COVID-19. The only significant change to the document is related to the changes to masking requirements that have already been announced by the Government. Students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 are no longer required to wear masks on schools buses or while in school. All adults must continue to wear masks on buses and in schools. 

The Government has also updated the following documents for parents:

• Parents’ Guide 2021-2022 School Year
• 2021-2022 School Year Plan

We anticipate further changes will be made to the expectations for school divisions and schools when the province implements the next stage of its plans to relax public health measures related to COVID-19. When we receive information about what those changes will be and how they will impact our students, staff, and parents, we will share that with you.

The government has updated the Alberta Health Daily Checklist. Please make sure you are using the February 2022 version of the checklist when you are screening your child for symptoms before sending them to school. This is the document our schools will be referring to when parents ask questions about whether or not children can attend school or how long they need to stay at home when they have symptoms. If something on the checklist is not clear or conflicts with information that is available somewhere else on the government’s website, please access the AHS Online Assessment Tool or call 811 for clarification. 

The government has announced that COVID-19 restrictions will be changing soon. We do not know yet how this will affect the restrictions and recommendations that have been put in place for schools. As soon as we have more information, we will share that with parents.

Senior administration from Conseil scolaire Centre-Est, Lakeland Catholic Schools, and Northern Lights Public Schools met earlier today to reassess student participation in sports tournaments and games. In January all three school divisions had agreed to follow the recommendation in the new Guidance for Schools (K-12) and School Buses to limit extracurricular sport tournaments and inter-school games temporarily. 

Starting on Thursday, February 10, students in grades 7 to 12 in all three school divisions will return to competition. This includes inter-school games and tournaments. A tentative return to competition for students in grades 4 to 6 has been set for February 22, 2022.

Games and tournaments hosted within the three school divisions will not be open to spectators at this time. This is the procedure that has been in place since the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

Conseil scolaire Centre-Est, Lakeland Catholic Schools, and Northern Lights Public Schools will continue to work together to monitor and reassess participation in sports and communicate any changes that are made to stakeholders.

We have a number of COVID-related updates to share with everyone tonight. We would like to thank all of our students, staff and parents for their work to make the return to school following the extended winter break go smoothly for our students. We appreciate all of the many ways our NLPS parents are supporting our students and staff during these challenging times. It is important that we continue to work together to meet the needs of our students and support them in their learning.

Potential Shifts to Online/At-Home Learning

Since the return to in-person classes on January 10, we have not had to shift any classes or grades at our schools to online/at-home learning. However, the number of COVID cases reported to us and the rate of student and staff absences due to illness have been increasing steadily over the last two weeks. It is highly likely that over the next two weeks we will need to shift individual classes or grades at some of our schools to online/at-home learning. Please think about what arrangements you will need to make for your family if your child’s class shifts to online/at-home learning and be prepared to make that shift. We will try to give families as much notice as possible, but circumstances have been changing rapidly and we may need to respond quickly.

When we shift a class or grade to online/at-home learning, we will be sending a letter home to all parents at that school so they are aware of what shifts are taking place. We will also be adding a list of classes/grades that have shifted to online/at-home learning to our School COVID Reports. This will include a list of the classes, what date their shift to online/at-home learning started and their estimated return to school date. Please note that return dates are subject to change based on a variety of factors. Parents will be notified in advance if the dates are extended.

Rapid Test Kit and Mask Deliveries

We would like to thank our NLPS families and staff for their patience in dealing with the delays we have experienced with getting the masks and rapid test kits from the government distributed to students and staff.

While most of our schools have received and distributed these supplies to their students and staff, four of our schools are still waiting for their shipments to arrive. We are hopeful they will arrive early next week so that all families and staff who requested them can receive them. 

Frequently Asked Questions

We have been getting some questions from parents about both the masks and the rapid test kits. While medical-grade masks are recommended, students are not required to wear the ones provided by the province and families may provide their own masks for students to wear. This can include N95, KN95, medical-grade masks, or non-medical masks. If non-medical masks are worn, they should have at least three layers including an effective middle filter layer. 

Masks continue to be mandatory for all students, staff and visitors to the school in all non-instructional areas of school buildings. In the current Guidance for Schools (K-12) and School Buses it states the following in regards to mask use in classrooms:

“Although now strongly recommended, masks are not required while students are seated in the classroom during instruction if students are working quietly and desks are arranged so students are not facing each other. If close contact between students, or students and teachers/staff is going to occur as a result of classroom activities, masks should be used for the duration of this activity.”

The government has provided an information sheet that provides further information and may answer some of the questions parents have about the at-home rapid test kits that have been distributed. Education At-Home Rapid Testing Program: Information for parents, students and school staff also includes an email that can be used specifically for questions about the school rapid screening test program. There is also a video parents can watch that demonstrates how to do a rapid test with a child: How to perform an at-home rapid test for COVID-19.

North Zone Primary Care Networks COVID-19 Response Team

We have been asked to pass on information about the services being provided by the North Zone PCN COVID-19 Response Team. Residents in the North Zone can receive access to COVID-19 resources and support and/or self-report their positive rapid antigen test results. They have provided a poster with more information. 

Questions?

As always, we encourage parents who have questions to contact their child’s school, send an email to communications@nlsd.ab.ca or submit a question on our Northern Lights Public Schools Questions and Answers Facebook group. 

Following our last update for parents on Friday, the government released the two documents we had been waiting to receive and review. There is now a new Alberta Daily Checklist and an updated COVID-19 information for K-12 schools and school buses document, which includes a combination of required and recommended actions. NLPS will be complying with all of the actions in the document that are required or mandatory.

The safety of students and staff remains our top priority. NLPS will continue with the following protocols that have already been implemented this school year:

• Stay Home When Sick
• All students, staff and visitors are required to complete the  Alberta Daily Checklist and follow the instructions that are included. 
• Anyone who comes to school sick or who develops symptoms during the day will be sent home.
  
  
• Masking
• Masks continue to be mandatory for everyone on a school bus.
• Masks are mandatory for all students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 in all indoor, non-instructional spaces. This applies to students enrolled in our preschool programs as well. 
• Students are encouraged to wear masks in instructional spaces if they are willing and able to do so.
• Staff and visitors are required to wear masks at all times, except when seated in classrooms or at work stations and located at least 2 metres from other individuals.

• Limiting Visitors
• Schools will continue to limit access to schools by visitors, including parents.
• Parents are encouraged to contact the school to make arrangements in advance to meet with staff.
  
  
• Cohorting
• Students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 will stay in cohorts during the school day where it is operationally possible. The size and composition of a cohort may vary from school to school.
  
  
• Large Gatherings
• Our schools will continue to avoid large gatherings of students and staff (i.e. assemblies).
• Virtual options are recommended instead of in person gatherings.

• HVAC Systems
• Our HVAC systems are maintained in accordance with manufacturer guidelines and we will continue with the practice of regularly circulating fresh air in schools.

• Cleaning and Hygiene
• We will continue with our practice of cleaning schools daily, including regular cleaning and disinfecting of high touch surfaces throughout the school day.
• We will continue to promote hand hygiene including making hand sanitizer available and encouraging students to wash or sanitize their hands throughout the school day.
  
  

Changes will be made in some areas to reflect the updated guidance from the provincial government:

• Extracurricular Activities
• Participation in games and tournaments has been put on hold temporarily. Sports practices may continue.
• Field trips will be limited to excursions where the host site has no other participants on location to ensure minimal interactions.
  
  
• Reporting Cases of COVID-19
• Alberta Health Services will no longer be informing us of cases connected to our schools and we are no longer required to inform families or staff when a case has been identified in our schools.
• NLPS will return to its previous protocol for reporting cases and will be sharing information about cases that are voluntarily disclosed to us on our websites. Parents will receive an email and/or text message when the school’s COVID report has been updated.
  
  
• Positive Cases of COVID-19
• If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please follow the instructions in the Alberta Health Daily Checklist. Isolation requirements are detailed in question 2 on the first page of the checklist for children under 18.
• Students who are not fully immunized, must isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms or until the symptoms resolve, whichever is longer, or until they receive a negative PCR test, or symptoms resolve and they receive two negative rapid antigen tests taken at least 24 hours apart.
• Students who are fully immunized (14 days have passed since their second dose), are required to isolate for five days from onset of symptoms or until symptoms resolve, whichever is longer. They must wear a mask for up to five days after their isolation period, including at school. Please let your child’s school know if this applies to your child so the school can support them in complying with this requirement.
• Families are encouraged to inform the school when their child tests positive for COVID-19 so that we can support your child’s learning from home (if they are able) and can monitor absences due to COVID-19.

• Shifts to At-Home Learning
• Our goal is to have students attend in-person classes as much as possible. It is important for everyone to follow the COVID-19 protocols that are in place to reduce the spread in our schools and ensure we can continue to offer in-person learning.
• NLPS has the authority to shift a class or grade at a school to at-home learning on a temporary basis. This will only occur if it is not possible for us to continue in-person learning due to high rates of staff or student absences.
• A shift to at-home learning for an entire school requires an application to Alberta Education. The decision to move a school to at-home learning rests with Alberta Education.
• Families will be given as much notice as possible if a temporary shift to at-home learning is required.

• Rapid Test Kits
• Rapid test kits will be available to all families and staff once they are delivered to our schools this week. 
• Schools will be sending out forms for parents to fill out if they want rapid test kits for their children. 
• The government recommends that individuals perform rapid tests twice per week, 72 hours apart, even if they do not have symptoms.
• Information about the rapid test kit program, including how to use the kits is available on the Alberta Government website: K to 6 At-Home Rapid Testing Program Information
• VIDEO; How to perform an at-home rapid test for COVID-19

• Masking
• The government is sending medical grade masks to schools to distribute to families who need them. 
• Schools will be sending a form for parents to full out if they want the masks for their children. 
• Medical-grade masks are recommended by the government, but students can continue to wear other masks if they choose to. If cloth masks are worn, it is recommended that they have at least three layers: two layers of tightly woven fabric with a filter in between.

Please note that individual schools may be putting specific protocols in place at their sites to align with the recommendations in the updated guidance document. This may apply to things like drop off and pick up procedures, and planned events and activities.

We would like to thank all of our NLPS families for their continued support and diligence in following all of the protocols that have been put in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and ensure that our students can participate in learning in person as much as possible this school year. 

More information and resources for parents are available on the Staying safe and healthy this school year website.

Questions?

As always, we encourage you to send your questions to communications@nlsd.ab.ca or to our Northern Lights Public Schools Questions and Answers group on Facebook and we will do our best to answer them with the information that is currently available to us. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Alberta’s Education Minister announced that students would be returning to in-person learning on Monday, January 10. You can read the full announcement here: Students returning to in-person learning Jan. 10. 

We would like to thank all of our NLPS families for their understanding and support during this unexpected extension to the winter break. We are excited to welcome students back to school on Monday and resume regular classes.

Our goal throughout the pandemic has been to have students attending school in-person as much as possible. School divisions currently have the authority to shift a class or individual grade at a school to at-home learning on a temporary basis. This will only be done if it is not possible to continue in-person learning due to high rates of student or staff absences. In the event this occurs, we will provide parents and guardians with as much notice as possible. We hope that the other measures that are in place at our schools will prevent or minimize the need for us to shift online.

Medical Masks and Rapid Testing Kits Delivery

We have been receiving many questions from parents and guardians about the medical masks and rapid testing kits the government announced will be distributed to students. These items are being sent directly to schools next week. We do not know when they will arrive at each of our schools. Schools will be sending out a form for parents to fill out to indicate if they want to receive masks and/or testing kits. If you want to receive these items, please complete the form so that we can make sure we get them to you as quickly as possible once they have arrived at our schools. If you do not want to receive these items, do not fill out the form. We will only send items home to families that request them.

Mask Requirements

At this time, there have been no changes made to mask requirements. Students can continue to wear the same masks to school that they were wearing prior to the winter break. It is recommended that students wear medical-grade masks like the ones that Alberta Education will be sending us. If cloth masks are worn, it is recommended that they have at least three layers: two layers of tightly woven fabric plus a filter.

More information on mask guidelines is available on the Government of Alberta website: COVID-19: Mask requirements.

COVID-19 Protocols in Schools

The government is in the process of updating the previous guidelines to reflect changes that have been made over the last few weeks. We know there will be changes made to COVID reporting and contact tracing and there may be changes to other recommendations and guidelines. 

Once we receive the updated documents and have had a chance to review what is in them, we will share any changes with families as soon as possible. More information for families is available on the Staying safe and healthy this school year website.

Requests of Families

To help us meet our goal of having students learn in-person as much as possible, we request that families support us in the following ways:

• Continue to complete the Alberta Health Daily Checklist and follow the instructions included in that document. Please be aware that updates are made to this checklist on a fairly regular basis, so please ensure you are using the most up-to-date version. Keep your child at home if they are sick.
  
  
• Participate in the at-home rapid testing program. The Province recommends that if you don’t have symptoms, you perform rapid tests twice per week, 72 hours apart (For example Sunday and Wednesday or Monday and Thursday).
  
  
• Notify your child’s school if your child tests positive. This is not required, but assists us with monitoring the impact of COVID-19 in our schools and making decisions that help to reduce the spread of COVID in our schools.

Questions

We know many families likely have questions that we have not answered in this email. As always, we encourage you to send your questions to communications@nlsd.ab.ca or to our Northern Lights Public Schools Questions and Answers group on Facebook and we will do our best to answer them with the information that is currently available to us. 

As most of you are already aware, Alberta Education announced last night (Thursday, December 30) that the winter break would be extended for all Alberta students until Monday, January 10 and that diploma exams have been cancelled for high school students. The announcement is available online: Winter break extended for K-12 students.

Since the announcement was made we have been receiving many questions from parents/guardians, including how this impacts preschool programming, if it applies to students in our online school (Learning Together Anywhere), and what restrictions may be in place when students return back after the break. NLPS Board Chair Karen Packard, Superintendent Rick Cusson and senior administration participated in meetings with Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange and Alberta Education officials today to seek clarification on the announcement and many of the questions that parents have shared with us. In addition, the Minister of Health and Chief Medical Officer of Health made additional announcements this morning. 

Here are the answers to some of the questions we have been receiving:

When will students return to school?

As announced by Alberta Education, students will not return to school as planned on Monday, January 3. The winter break has been extended to Monday, January 10. This is not a shift to online learning. Classes will not take place during this time (January 3- 7) and students are not required to connect with their teachers or to complete assignments. There will also be no extracurricular activities, including sports practices, during that time.

At this time, we expect and are planning to return to in-person classes on Monday, January 10. However, the Minister of Education has stated that next week will be used to assess the impacts of the Omicron variant on staffing levels and student attendance and Alberta Education may make further announcements regarding in-person learning and/or additional restrictions next week. We will be providing Alberta Education with all of the information that is requested as well as providing input and local context if we are given that opportunity. 

What restrictions will be in place when students return?

The province will be providing school divisions with optional rapid testing kits and medical grade masks to distribute to students. These are expected to arrive at schools the week of January 10-14th. We will share more information about how distribution of those supplies will work once we have received them.

While there has been speculation about restrictions being added to the guidelines schools were following prior to the winter break, nothing has been confirmed at this time. We expect to hear more about potential restrictions, if any, next week and will share any changes with staff and parents/guardians in advance of students returning to in-person classes.

Will staff be accessible to parents/guardians and students next week?

Parents/guardians and students who need to contact staff next week will be able to do so. However, staff will not be providing students with work to be completed at home during the extended break. 

Staff will be using the extended break to prepare for in-person and at-home learning scenarios. As part of that, they may be contacting parents/guardians of some students to discuss individual student needs.

Inclusive education services and counselling services will not be provided during the extended break. Families who require mental health services during the extended break are encouraged to contact our community service providers. We have posted Community Resources on our website who may be able to provide assistance.

What about Learning Together Anywhere School? Will there be classes for those students?

The extended winter break will also apply to students enrolled in our Learning Together Anywhere School. Classes will not take place during the week of January 3-7. Classes will resume on January 10. 

What about preschool? Are those programs operating next week?

Our preschool and out of school programs will not be operating during the week of January 3-7.

What is happening with diploma exams and provincial achievement tests?

Alberta Education has announced that provincial diploma exams that were scheduled for January have been cancelled. 

Provincial achievement tests for Grade 6 and 9 students will be rescheduled. Schools will share the updated schedule with parents/guardians once it has been confirmed.

Questions?

As always, if you have questions about anything in this email, please contact communications@nlsd.ab.ca or you can submit a question in our Northern Lights Public Schools Questions and Answers Facebook group. 

COVID and Travel over the Winter Break

Our schools have been receiving a lot of questions about whether or not students who travel out of the country over the winter break will be able to return to school as scheduled in January. 

Quarantine and isolation requirements related to international travel are set by the federal government and have been changing frequently. There are many factors that affect whether or not someone has to quarantine after traveling out of the country. All staff and students are required to comply with whatever the travel requirements are at the time of their trip. 

Travel requirements are detailed on the Government of Canada COVID-19: Travel, testing and borders website. 

If your child does need to quarantine or if one of the requirements is for your child to not attend school for a period of time following travel over the holidays, please contact their school to discuss options for learning at home during the quarantine period.

COVID Outbreak Protocols/ Rapid Testing Kit Program

Unfortunately, we have experienced our first COVID-19 outbreak in a school since the government introduced changes to contact tracing for schools and how outbreaks are defined and dealt with. Now that we have worked through the new process with Alberta Health Services, we have some additional information we would like to share with parents.

AHS declares an outbreak of COVID-19 when it has determined that there have been 10 or more confirmed cases at the school within a 14-day period who were present at the school while infectious. 

Our intent has always been to be as transparent as possible so parents and guardians can make informed decisions for their families. That is why our school COVID reports include self-disclosed cases in addition to those that have been confirmed by AHS. Unfortunately, this has created some confusion as some school COVID reports show more than 10 cases connected to the school, but AHS has not declared an outbreak at that location. 

In determining whether a school is in an outbreak AHS only counts cases that they have confirmed through testing and which they have determined were infectious while at school. They do not count self-disclosed cases that were confirmed by rapid or private test and did not have an AHS done, or cases where exposure was on a bus shared by more than one school, or cases where the individual was not infectious while at school (symptoms developed over a weekend or when they were absent from school). 

Once AHS has determined that a school meets the criteria for an outbreak, they contact the school and NLPS shares a letter with all parents and guardians. Any K to 6 schools that are in an outbreak are then eligible to participate in the At-Home Rapid Testing Program. It takes approximately 72 hours for the rapid test kits to arrive at a school once we have applied for them. Participation in the At-Home Rapid Testing Program is voluntary and is for individuals who are not symptomatic. Each person receives 10 kits and performs two tests each week for a period of five weeks. Anyone who tests positive is encouraged to follow up by booking a test with AHS and is legally required to isolate for 10 days unless they receive a negative PCR test. Participants are not required to report the results of their rapid tests.

The Government of Alberta has created a guide for parents, students and staff with more information about the program and how to do an at-home rapid test: K-6 At-Home Rapid Testing Program: Information for Parents, Students and School Staff. They have also created a video that shows how to perform an At-Home Rapid Test: How to perform at at-home rapid test for COVID-19.

COVID Reporting Update

In our last update to parents on October 6, we shared some information about changes the government announced were being made to contact tracing and COVID-19 reporting processes. On Friday, October 15 we received a guidance document from Alberta Education outlining the expectations for school divisions to follow when we are notified by AHS that there is a case of COVID-19 connected to our schools. They have also provided us with an updated Parents’ Guide 2021-2022 School Year that outlines the new changes.

NLPS will be continuing with its current process of reporting all COVID cases to our NLPS families. This includes cases that AHS has confirmed as well as cases that are reported to us by individuals. When we are notified of a case, either by an individual or AHS, we will send out a notification to parents that will include a link to that school’s COVID report. That report will include the number of active cases at the school (reported to us within the last 14 days), the date it was reported to us, and which classes or cohorts are considered to be exposed groups. An exposed group is defined as individuals who may have been exposed to a COVID-19 case during the case’s infectious period. Individuals who are part of an exposed group are not necessarily considered close contacts.

For AHS confirmed cases, we will also include the date that AHS informed us of the case and the dates that AHS has indicated the person was in attendance at school while infectious. For AHS confirmed cases, there will also be a letter attached that provides information about what is recommended for students and staff who are part of exposed groups.

Alberta Health Services has also created a list of schools that are on Alert or Outbreak status that will be updated daily. To see if your child’s school is on the list, please go to COVID-19 school status. Northern Lights will also be posting school statuses at the top of the homepage of each school’s website. As of today, we have three schools listed as Alert 2-4, no schools at Alert 5-9, and none in outbreak.

We are still waiting for more details about the at-home rapid testing program that was announced. It is our understanding that this will be a voluntary program that will provide rapid testing kits for families and staff who request them for at-home use. Rapid tests will not be administered by staff. Once more information is provided to use, we will share that with you.

As many of you are aware, yesterday afternoon the government announced changes to the provincial contact tracing and COVID-19 reporting processes related to schools.

As of today, Wednesday, October 6, Alberta Health Services has changed the guidelines and definitions of Outbreaks of COVID-19. They will no longer be based on the percentage of students who are absent with respiratory symptoms. Instead, they will be based on AHS confirmed cases of COVID-19 connected to individual schools. The following definitions will be used:

• Alert  2-4 cases: 2-4 cases were present in the school while infectious within a 14 day period
• Alert 5-9 cases: 5-9 cases were present in the school while infectious within a 14 day period
• Outbreak (10+ cases): 10 or more cases are confirmed in an investigation, where the disease could have been acquired or transmitted in the school.

Alerts remain in place until no new cases are confirmed at the school for 14 days. Outbreaks remain in place until no new cases are confirmed at the school for 28 days.

Alberta Health Services has created a list of schools that are on Alert or Outbreak status that will be updated daily. To see if your child’s school is on the list, please go to COVID-19 school status. Northern Lights will also be posting school statuses at the top of the homepage of each school’s website. 

The other changes that will be implemented over the next couple of weeks include contact tracing and notification to parents/guardians of confirmed COVID cases in their child’s classroom, shifting to online learning for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 when there are three or more cases confirmed in a classroom within five days, and the introduction of rapid testing. We have not received all of the guidelines regarding how all of these new requirements will work. Once we have received confirmation of how these new processes will be implemented in our schools, we will share that information with families and staff. 

We appreciate your patience and cooperation while we adjust to another shift in COVID protocols for our schools. As always, our goal is to provide families with the most up-to-date and accurate information that we have and we will continue to do that as we confirm the details from this latest announcement.

We have been receiving questions from parents concerned about misinformation circulating on social media that claims school boards will be mandating vaccinations for students in October. 

School boards do not have the authority to mandate vaccinations for students. There are no mandates in place requiring students to be vaccinated against any illness for which vaccines are currently available (measles, mumps, whooping cough, chicken pox, etc.) and the Board of Trustees will NOT be making any vaccinations mandatory for students. 

Any decision to mandate vaccinations in K-12 schools must come from the Alberta Government. Alberta does not have any legislation requiring students to have vaccinations in order to attend school and we have been informed that they are not considering mandating vaccines for students. Students cannot be denied access to education due to their immunization status. 

The social media posts also encourage parents to withdraw their students from school prior to September 30 to reduce funding to school divisions. While our funding used to be based on the number of students who were enrolled in our schools on September 30, that is no longer the case. Instead the province bases our funding on a three-year weighted moving average. Our funding has already been confirmed for the 2021-2022 school year and withdrawing students prior to September 30 will have no impact on the funding we receive for this year or the resources that will be available to students who remain enrolled in our system. It will, however, reduce the amount of funding we receive over the next two years, and will negatively impact all students in the system. It will also cause disruption for our students and staff at a time when they need stability and consistency.

This is a difficult time for everyone and we need to work together to ensure that our students can continue to attend school and learn in safe and caring environments despite the many challenges created by COVID. We encourage all families to reach out to their child’s school with any concerns they have so we can address those concerns and provide you with the information you need to make the best decisions for your families. 

COVID Case Reporting

As we shared in last week’s update, NLPS will be sharing information with parents and guardians when we are informed of a case of COVID-19 connected to one of our schools. This will be based on information that is disclosed to us voluntarily by individuals who test positive, as Alberta Health Services does not notify us of COVID cases that are connected to our schools.

The process for making notifications was shared with our school administrators today and comes into effect immediately. When a school is notified of a case of COVID connected to that school, a letter will be sent to all parents with information on the number of cases reported to the school and which classes, bus routes and/or extracurricular activities may have had close contact with the individual who has COVID. 

This information will also be shared on the school’s website and instructions on how to access that will be shared in the letter that is sent to parents. This is where future updates will also be posted. COVID cases will be considered “active” for seven days from when they are reported to the school and will be included on the School COVID Report for that period of time, along with lists of the classes associated with those cases.

When additional cases are reported, families will receive a message from the school via School Messenger (email and text) notifying them that additional cases have been reported and that the School COVID Report has been updated with information about the new cases.

We encourage all families and staff to share positive test results with their schools so we can keep our school communities informed and help parents and guardians make informed decisions for their families.

New Alberta Health Daily Checklist

The Government of Alberta has made changes to the Alberta Health Daily Checklists that all students, staff and visitors to schools are required to complete every day before entering a school. You can find the updated checklists here: Updated Alberta Health Daily Checklist. 

The most notable change is to the first section which asks if your child has been a household close contact of someone with COVID-19.  If the answer is yes and the child has not been fully immunized, the “Child should stay home and NOT attend school, childcare and/or other activities for 14 days from the last day of exposure and monitor for symptoms.”

Spectators at School Sporting Events

Since the provincial government announced new public health restrictions last week, we have received many questions about the impact the new restrictions will have on our schools. 

One of the areas affected by the new measures is school sporting events. We know many of our students missed being able to participate in school sports and are excited to be able to play on teams and participate in intramurals this year. The new provincial health restrictions allow for school sports to continue, but with restrictions on spectator attendance.

To ensure students can continue to participate in school sports for as long as possible, NLPS has made the difficult decision to restrict all indoor sporting events to participants only. 

Spectators are welcome to attend outdoor sporting events for our junior high and senior high students, however, spectators will not be permitted to participate in outdoor sporting events for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6. As tomorrow’s Mountain Bike competition includes students in grades 5 & 6, that event will not permit spectators.

While we know some families will be disappointed that they can’t attend games in person and cheer on their children from the sidelines, we believe the minimizing attendance at these events will reduce the risk of COVID transmission in our schools and help prevent further restrictions from needing to be put into place.

Thank you for your patience while we worked to clarify last night’s announcement with Alberta Education. We are now able to share more information with staff and parents/guardians about how the new public health restrictions will impact the operation of our schools. In addition, we have an update about the division sharing information when we are informed of a case of COVID-19 connected to one of our schools.

As we shared last night, the provincial government announced the following public health restrictions for all schools effective today (Thursday, September 16):

• Mandatory masking for students in grades 4 and up, plus staff and teachers in all grades.
• Class cohorting for elementary grades (K to 6)
• Indoor sports, fitness, recreation, and performance activities are permitted in schools, with requirements to maintain 2 metre physical distancing where possible.
• Masks and distancing are not required by youth under 18 while engaged in physical activity.
• Spectator attendance restricted to 1/3 fire code capacity and limited to households or 2 close contacts for those living alone. Attendees must be masked and distanced.

Here is some more information about what that will look like in our schools:

Masking

• Masking continues to be mandatory for everyone on a school bus.
  
  
• The motion made by the NLPS Board of Trustees mandating that all students wear masks in all indoor, non-instructional areas remains in effect for all students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 and all students enrolled in our preschool programs. Students are encouraged to wear masks in instructional spaces as well if they are willing and able to do so. Masks are not required to be worn outdoors.
  
  
• Students in grades 4 to 12 are now required to wear masks in accordance with the government’s announcement last night. We have received clarification that this is to follow the same requirements for masking that were put in place last year. Specifically, students will need to wear masks in all indoor areas except in classrooms where they are able to sit without facing each other and with the greatest distance possible between students. Masks are not required to be worn outdoors.
  
  
• Staff and visitors to schools are required to wear masks at all times, except when seated in classrooms or at work stations and are distanced at least two metres from other individuals.

Cohorting

This is for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 only and does not apply to students in grades 7 to 12. This will look similar to last year, when students spent most of their time with other students in their class or grade (depending on the school and grade configuration of the school). There is no set size for a cohort and it may vary depending on the physical space of the classroom.

Cohorting is not required outdoors, but schools may implement measures to reduce the number of students who are outdoors together during recess and other breaks.

Physical Education, Extra-Curricular Activities, Performances and Events

• Students are not required to wear masks while participating in physical education, extracurricular sports or intramurals. 
  
  
• Masks will be required while students are walking to and from class, in change rooms, and when students are not engaged in physical activity.
  
  
• Physical distancing will be encouraged where possible.
  
  
• When spectators are invited to events, spectator attendance will be restricted to ⅓ fire code capacity. All spectators must be masked and distanced from individuals who are not part of their household of 2 close contacts for those living alone.
  
  

Changes to COVID-19 Notifications

As we have shared previously, Alberta Health Services no longer informs us when a case of COVID-19 is connected to one of our schools and we are no longer required to inform families or staff when a case has been identified in our school. Students who are close contacts of someone with COVID-19 are also no longer required to quarantine.

Many of you have indicated that you would like to know when there is a case of COVID-19 connected to your child’s classroom or school so that you can make decisions about how to respond that work best for your child and your family.

At yesterday’s Board meeting, the Board directed administration to develop a communication protocol to inform families and staff when someone discloses to us that they have tested positive for COVID-19. We are currently in the process of determining what this will look like and we will have more information to share with you once that process is finalized.

We appreciate all of the individuals who have informed us of positive cases so far and we encourage you to continue to share that information with us as it helps us in our efforts to reduce transmission in our schools. That information is also valuable when we report absences due to illness of greater than 10% to Alberta Health Services, so that we are able to include how many of those absences are COVID related.

Once again, we would like to thank all of our NLPS families for their continued support to ensure healthy and safe learning environments for our students.

Questions?

As always, please feel free to contact your child’s school with any questions you have. You may also send your questions to communications@nlsd.ab.ca or submit them to our Northern Lights Public Schools Questions and Answers Facebook group and we will do our best to answer them or direct you to someone who can. 

As many of you may already be aware, new public health restrictions were announced by the provincial government to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The restrictions that are applicable to schools come into effect at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday, September 16).

These include:

• Mandatory masking for students in grades 4 and up, plus staff and teachers in all grades.
• Class cohorting for elementary grades (K to 6)
• Indoor sports/performance/recreation/special interests are permitted with requirements for two-metre physical distancing, where possible.
• Youth aged 18 and under are not required to mask or maintain two-metre distance when engaged in physical activity.
• There are no restrictions on outdoor activities.
• Spectator attendance is restricted to 1/3 fire code capacity and limited to households or 2 close contacts for those living alone. Attendees must be masked and distanced.

We know many of you have questions about what this looks like at your school. As we were only informed of these changes at the same time they were announced to the public, we are still working on the details and seeking clarification in some areas. 

We will have more details to share with families tomorrow, after we have received more information from Alberta Education. 

In the meantime, please note that masking remains mandatory for students in preschool and K to 3 in all indoor, non-instructional areas as per the Board’s motion from August 26th. Students in those grades who wish to wear their masks at additional times of the day are encouraged to do so. 

All students are reminded to bring masks to school with them tomorrow. For students in grades 4 to 12, we recommend adding a spare mask to their backpacks as they may be required to wear their masks more frequently than they have been so far this year.

We appreciate all of the support we have received from our NLPS families as we have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic together. We ask for your patience and understanding as we work to adapt to these new restrictions and keep our students healthy and safe while at school. 

COVID-19 Protocols

All students, staff and visitors to the school are required to screen for symptoms of COVID-19 using the Alberta Health Daily Checklist. Please be aware there are two different checklists: one for children under 18 years of age and one for adults. Please ensure you are completing the correct checklist and following the guidelines for isolation and testing that are included in those documents.

AHS is no longer informing us when a case of COVID-19 is connected to one of our schools, and they are no longer doing any contact tracing. Students are also not required to quarantine if there is a case of COVID-19 at school, even if that case is in their classroom. More information about the requirements for the 2021-2022 school year is included in the Guidance for Respiratory Illness Prevention and Management in Schools.

If there is a school-wide absence rate of 10% or greater due to illness, we will be reporting that to AHS and following their guidance and recommendations. To assist us with monitoring absences, it is important for families to continue to report when their children are absent due to illness. We would also appreciate it if families would report positive test results to their child’s school, although it is not required.

AHS COVID-19 School Immunization Program

Alberta Health Services has been contacting our schools to arrange for eligible students (grades 7-12)  to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. More information is included in the attached letter from AHS.

Please note that children will only be immunized if a parent/guardian completes a consent form and returns it to the school. If you wish to have your child immunized through this program, please review the information included in the attached School Immunization Information Package, print and complete the consent form, and return the signed form to your child’s school. Forms should be returned as soon as possible. Parents/guardians of students attending schools in Cold Lake are requested to return forms no later than Monday, September 13. Parents/guardians of students attending schools in the Bonnyville area (including Ardmore, Iron River and Glendon) are requested to return forms no later than Friday, September 17.

Please contact your child’s school to confirm the date that AHS will be on site. 

If you do not wish to have your child immunized, do not sign the consent form and do not return it to the school.

Mask Exemption Process

We have received many questions about whether or not students can be exempted from wearing a mask. We have updated the Mask Guidelines that were in place last year to reflect changes that have been made for 2021-2022. The guidelines outline the criteria for mask exemptions and the process that students and staff need to follow if they wish to apply for an exemption.

Mask Exemption Request Forms are available by contacting your child’s school. Families with students enrolled in preschool can access a form by contacting the division’s preschool coordinator.

2021-2022 Back to School Plan

On behalf of the Northern Lights Public Schools Board of Trustees, we would like to welcome all of our students, staff, and families Back to School for the 2021-2022 school year. We know many of you have been anxious to learn about what this school year may look like and what COVID-19 protocols may or may not be in place.

Yesterday (Wednesday, August 25, 2021), the Board of Trustees reviewed the 2021-2022 School Year Plan and Guidance for Respiratory Illness Prevention and Management in Schools documents provided to us by Alberta Education and Alberta Health earlier this month. These documents include a variety of actions that we must follow for the 2021-2022 school year. In addition to these requirements, the Board also has the autonomy to implement its own measures above and beyond what the province has mandated.

In our discussions, the Board took into consideration all of the feedback that has been received from stakeholders, including students, staff, parents/guardians and members of our community, as well as the number of active COVID cases in our region, local vaccination rates, and the provincial public health orders currently in place. 

With current positivity rates of 25% in the North zone and vaccination rates below 70%, the Board felt it was necessary to implement measures beyond what was included in the provincial plan. Specifically, masks will be mandatory for all students, staff and visitors in non-instructional areas (entrance ways, boot rooms, hallways) of schools until the regional vaccination rate reaches 70%, or until the situation is re-evaluated at the September 29, 2021 Board meeting, coinciding with the current provincial requirement timeline. As per the provincial public health order, students and staff will also be required to wear masks on school buses. Masks will not be mandatory in classrooms or where students are participating in instructional activities in other areas of the school (gymnasium, library, CTS labs, etc.). Students and staff who choose to wear masks in instructional areas will be supported in their decision to do so.

In all other areas, with the exception of masks, NLPS will align with the requirements included in the provincial documents.

This includes the following:

• Staying home when sick - Anyone entering a school will need to screen for symptoms using the Alberta Daily Checklist and follow the requirements for isolation that are in that document. Students and staff who show signs of illness while at school will be sent home.
• HVAC systems will be maintained in accordance with manufacturer guidelines, and NLPS will continue with the practice of regularly circulating fresh air in schools while maintaining a comfortable temperature for students and staff.
• Regular cleaning, including regular cleaning and disinfecting of high touch surfaces.
• Continued promotion of hand hygiene including placing hand sanitizer in locations throughout the school where soap and water are not available, promoting the use of hand hygiene throughout the school day and sharing information about hand hygiene with students, staff and visitors to the school

In addition, to maintain a high level of cleanliness and sanitation, NLPS will not be opening up its schools for use by outside groups. This will also be reviewed at the September 29, 2021 Board meeting. The Board has also requested that administration provide a cost and benefits analysis of installing portable classroom HEPA filters as a potential future measure for the division to consider.

More details about all of the measures our division is taking to address COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses is included in our 2021-2022 Back to School and Learning Pathways Guide. In addition to outlining the measures that will be in place for in-person learning at our schools, this guide also includes information on other learning pathways may choose to pursue with Northern Lights. This includes our new Learning Together Anywhere School (online learning) as well as Home Education. 

We would like to thank all of our NLPS students, staff, and families for their continued patience, co-operation and support as we enter this new school year and we look forward to connecting with all of you and working together to provide our children with the best possible learning opportunities so they can grow and thrive.

Thank you.

Arlene Hrynyk
Board Chair
Northern Lights Public Schools

Rick Cusson
Superintendent
Northern Lights Public Schools

Learning Pathways 

NLPS families have three Learning Pathways to choose from for the 2021-2022 school year. In addition to in-person classes at one of our 27 schools, NLPS is offering families the option to enroll in our Learning Together Anywhere School or participate in Home Education in partnership with one of our schools.

More details are included in the 2021-2022 Back to School & Learning Pathways Guide. 

COVID-19 School Immunization Program

Alberta Education has asked us to share information about the COVID-19 School Immunization Program that Alberta Health Services will be offering in September and October. Through this program, COVID-19 immunizations will be available for eligible students in Grades 7-12 as well as school staff. 

More information is included in this Letter from AHS.

Please note that children will only be immunized if a parent/guardian completes a consent form and returns it to the school. If you wish to have your child immunized through this program, please review the information included in the School Immunization Information Package, print and complete the consent form, and return the signed form to your child’s school.

If you do not wish to have your child immunized, do not sign the consent form and do not return it to the school.

Transportation and Out of School Care Registration

In our previous communication to families, we had indicated that the deadline to register for transportation and/or out of school care was August 25, if you wanted to ensure a space would be available for your child on September 1. That deadline has been extended to Friday, August 27 to provide families with time to review the division’s Back to School Plan before registering for those services. 

If you require transportation or out of school care for your child(ren) starting September 1, please ensure your registration is complete before the end of the day on Friday. If you complete your registration after Friday, we may have difficulty making those services available for September 1.

The Board of Trustees will be meeting on Wednesday, August 25 to review the 2021-22 School Year Plan provided to us by Alberta Education and finalize the division’s Back to School plan. Once the division’s plan is finalized, it will be shared with families so that you know what to expect for the start of the school year. 

Learning Pathways

NLPS families have three Learning Pathways to choose from for the 2021-2022 school year. In addition to in-person classes at one of our 27 schools, NLPS is offering families the option to enroll in our Learning Together Anywhere School or participate in Home Education in partnership with one of our schools.

More details will be included in our 2021-2022 Learning Pathways Guide, which will be shared once our Back to School plan has been finalized.

Transferring Between Schools

We have been receiving questions from families about transferring students between schools. 

If you are already enrolled in an NLPS school, you do not need to fill out a new registration form. All you need to do is tell your child’s school that you want to transfer them to another school. They will connect with that school and share your child's information with them. This is the same process to follow if you want to transfer to our Learning Together Anywhere School or from LTA back to in-person classes.
If your child is simply moving on to their next school (ie. elementary to middle or middle to high school), you do not need to do anything. Their information will be automatically shared with the new school.

Alberta Education and Alberta Health have asked us to share the attached letter with all NLPS families.

CMOH Letter - Return to School Information 

Northern Lights is still in the process of reviewing today's announcement, updates to the 2021-2022 School Year Plan previously shared in June, and the new Guidance for Respiratory Illness Prevention and Management in Schools  and Parents' Guide 2021-22 School Year documents that were released earlier today.

We will have more information to provide to families next week on what the return to school looks like in NLPS. Our schools will also be sharing school-specific information with families once school staff return and have finalized their school start up plans for the 2021-2022 school year.

As always, we appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to address the challenges presented to us by COVID-19 while preparing for a new school year.

2021-2022 School Year Plan

Alberta Education has shared the 2021-2022 School Year Plan with school divisions and it is based on a return to normal, with contingency scenarios in case the COVID-19 situation changes during the school year.

Some of the measures that were put in place for 2020-2021 are being removed, such as the requirement for students in grades 4-12 to wear masks. Other measures will continue to be in place including promoting hand hygiene, staying home when sick, and continuing with regular clearing and disinfection of high touch areas. Additional measures may be put in place for schools that experience an outbreak during the school year.

We have been advised that  we will receive further information about the health practices and measures that will be needed to support the plan closer to the start of the school year. We will share this information with our NLPS families once it is provided to us. Schools will also share school-specific information with families closer to the start of the school year.