The Regina Public Schools are hoping for a return to normalcy as they have released some details on their return to school plan.
The school division announced that with the majority of elementary students not yet available for vaccinations, students, staff and visitors are required to wear masks at all times in elementary schools and on Regina Public transportation. Staff and students will not be required to wear masks while outside on school grounds, provided they are maintaining social distancing. Supervisor of Communications for Regina Public Schools Terry Lazarou says this being done since more than 15,000 students are not eligible for the vaccination, and are vulnerable to the risks that COVID-19 present and it’s variants continue to pose.
Since high school students are eligible for vaccines, Regina Public Schools will be recommending masks for students and staff when social distancing isn’t possible. Visitors to the high schools will be required to wear a mask at all times inside of high schools. Lazarou added a notable change from the previous school year for high schools will be a return to the semester system.
Many school activities will return including recesses, body breaks, noon-hour breaks, physical education and extra-curricular activities. Lazarou noted that more detailed guidelines on the physical education and extra-curricular activities will be released in the next few days. Overnight trips and activities will not be held at this time.
The Regina Public Schools will be continuing to work with Regina Public Health to facilitate and inform parents about vaccines when the opportunity arises for elementary school students, and they will also provide information to parents about rapid testing. Lazarou noted at this time that Regina Public Schools are able to provide rapid testing for their staff, but not for their students. They will also work with Regina area Public Health with contract tracing in schools.
The school division will continue to use the enhanced ventilation systems in schools that was introduced in January. All cleaning, disinfecting and hand hygiene practices will continue to be enforced.
The Regina Catholic School Division plan was also released Monday. It also calls for mandatory masking for staff, students and visitors at elementary schools. The division estimates around 80 percent of people in its elementary schools have not been vaccinated because of eligibility requirements.
When it comes to high schools, the division says there is no mandatory mask policy, but it is recommended that those inside the school wear them. The division says around 60 percent of its high school students have been vaccinated as of last week
