A Guide to Returning Students to Ontario Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic
One of our visitors wrote a guide suggesting how students in the Ontario schooling system can return back to schools.
Without doubt, the online school experience is much different and possibly less effective then an in class environment. As such, this guide presents a way that students can possibly return to school safely in this school year.
Please note, this guide has not been peer reviewed, and is not a formally published document. Rather, it is developed by a concerned citizen who is eager to help our community.
Also, covid19-tracker.ca has no affiliation whatsoever with the author of this document. We have attained permission to display the document on our website, however, we do not endorse nor guarantee nor take any liability in any way for anything due to this document.
We invite you to scroll down and read this guide. The below 3 summaries are not a full representation of the full guide!
Abstract
The total return to normalcy in the workplace, business, and school will not occur overnight; gradual steps must be taken until life as we know it (before COVID-19) returns. This paper discusses a method of gradually returning students to a high school environment, specifically Hillfield Strathallan College (HSC), while reducing the risk of infection and adhering to government guidelines. There is no specified date of this method being implemented as of April 2020. Government response and approval need to be taken into consideration before implementation.
Introduction
As the government is concerned with the ongoing financial crisis, the healthcare system, and
controlling the spread of COVID-19, it is unlikely that a comprehensive plan for the return to school
will be implemented in the near future. As an independent school with additional resources, HSC is
able to take the lead in developing a safe way for in-class learning.
The return to an in-person learning environment should be taken in several steps: low-risk,
medium-risk, and high-risk of infection systems. These are defined relative to the number of students
present on the school campus and each class, the size of large assemblies and gatherings, personal
protective equipment (PPE) for students and staff, the screening of symptoms, and the length of the
school day
Conclusion
Conclusion With the aforementioned steps taken, a return to school is within the realm of possibility before the end of the 2019/2020 school year. However, there has been no determined date made by the government or health officials when this could occur. It would be recommended that this proposal is approved by these officials before implementation.
Paper Credit
April 2020
Will Assad (Grade 12)
Hillfield Strathallan College, Hamilton, Ontario
[email protected]
http://willassad.com/
https://www.willassad.com/uploads/6/2/6/8/62689149/guide_to_returning_students_to_ontario_schools_during_covid-19.pdf