We wish to welcome all parents/guardians and students to the school year 2020-2021. We know the times have been very challenging since the school closed its doors last March.
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The safety of everyone at the school is the number one priority of the Sathya Sai School. Much time and energy have been put in by the school’s Board of Directors, Building Management Team, Staff, and volunteers to ensure everyone’s safety. We have been closely following the guidelines that the Ministry of Ontario and Toronto Public Health have been proposing over the summer months, to ensure that our school is in compliance with all safety measures, or even exceeds these to meet our school’s standards.
Two options of Learning are offered:
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ï‚·1) Full-time in class
ï‚·2) Full-time online
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ï‚·Both will include 3.75 hours of synchronous instruction by teachers, of which 40-50% will be for the core subjects. The rest will be for French, Music, Physical Education, Yoga and Dance. The remaining portions of the day will include independent work, discussion and recesses.
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ï‚·Teachers will provide a schedule to students of their time slots for both synchronous instruction and for independent work.
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ï‚·For online learners, it is necessary that students come on time to their scheduled classes of direct instruction or they will be marked Late or Absent. Students should be dressed for school and neatly groomed.
FAQs
How will we ensure all staff know how and are able to keep themselves safe from exposure to COVID-19?
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Guidance
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The Sathya Sai School (“SS School”) has developed a COVID-19 Policy & Procedure Document was shared with all the staff, prior to school re-opening
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The School utilized the Ontario Ministry of Education’s “Guide to Re-opening Ontario’s Schools” and “Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Guidance” documents to prepare the School’s Policies & Procedures.
Sharing Information
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Training was provided to all the staff on COVID-19 Policies & Procedures, and health precautions, prior to school re-opening
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Any future COVID-19 related issues and data will be discussed and resolved in regular COVID-19 Joint Health & Safety (JG&S) meetings.
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Any policy/procedure changes will be communicated to parents and teachers via Parent Council meetings, emails, school website, and staff meetings.
New or more frequent type of communication
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The SS School website will have a COVID-19 section that will be updated with important COVID-19 related news
How will we screen for COVID-19?
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Screening Checklist and Who is Responsible for the Screening?
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The SS School will rely on a daily self-screening process.
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Parents/Guardians will submit a daily electronic Health Check Form, prior to sending their child to the school
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Teachers, In-house Support Teachers, Day-time cleaning staff, and Office staff will have to submit a similar electronic Health Check Form daily, prior to arriving at the school
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SS School electronic Form mirrors the Health Check List on the Toronto Public Health website
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Visitors to the school building will be limited during the day; if someone has important business, they need to make an appointment and once they come for the appointment they will fill out a paper copy of the same self-screening form as described above
How will we control the risk of transmission in our school?
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Prevent the infection from entering the building (First Level of controls)
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The building is deep cleaned and sanitized prior to re-opening
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Students, teachers, staff, and visitors are to complete a daily Health Check Form (self evaluation) prior to entering the school building
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Visitors will only be allowed if they have particularly important business and have an appointment.
Preventing the spread of infection (Second level of controls)
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Staggered timing for school start / close and separate designated entrances to avoid crowding in hallways
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COVID-19 related signage to encourage healthy behaviours at appropriate locations
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One-way and safe distancing floor decals
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Hand sanitizing stations in hallways and posters
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Handwashing signage and designated breaks for handwashing
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Face masks for students and teachers and adequate PPE for all the building occupants will be required
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Desks in classrooms are arranged to get maximum physical distancing; extra furniture is removed.
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Soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers are installed in the washrooms and classroom sinks
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Hand blow dryers in the washrooms are disabled
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Water Fountains will only be used for filling water bottles.
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High touch surfaces will be sanitized at least twice in a 24-hour period. Washrooms and door handles will be sanitized more often during the day.
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Cohorts of maximum 24 students and one teacher will be formed. Contact of students with special teachers and in-house support teachers will be minimized.
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Outdoor playground equipment is off-limits for now
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Phys Ed and Yoga classes will be held outdoors as long as weather permits
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Library, Music room, Science room, computer room, and Yoga room will be off-limits for now
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Staff meetings will either be virtual (preferred) or in larger rooms where more than 2m physical distancing can be maintained at all times.
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Training on COVID-19 Policy/Procedures, medical advice on prevention techniques of COVID-19 was provided to teachers and school staff
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Training materials will be sent to the parents to practice at home and teach their children.
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Teachers will also teach the students in their class, COVID-19 prevention techniques and etiquette.
What will we do if there is a potential case, or suspected exposure to, COVID-19 at our school?
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Actions:
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The Principal will report suspected cases to Toronto Public Health as per established protocol.
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If a student complains of any COVID-19 related symptoms or symptoms are noticed by the teacher, the student will be taken to the Isolation room. The Office will call parents and request to pick up their child within an hour.
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Teachers will have the daily attendance list (cohort list), class seating arrangement, contact with special teachers in the class or outdoors, any visits to the Office readily available, in case required for Contact Tracing.
How will we make sure our plan is working?
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We will conduct regular internal audits to ensure we are taking full precautions.