COVID Alert App

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 -- With the fall weather moving Canadians indoors, it's important that all tools be used to fight the spread of COVID-19. Health Canada has requested that we share information about the COVID-19 alert app for all of our school families and staff. Please consider downloading this app.

To view the Health Canada poster, please CLICK HERE.

Dismissal Procedures for Elementary Schools

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020—With almost one week of classes for all students completed, we are grateful for school family cooperation that has helped make student school experiences safe and positive.

As we proceed into the school year, we are refining our school-based procedures, including how we release students at the end of the school day. Although we initially communicated that we required parent permission to release students at 3:22 p.m., this is no longer the case.

In order to minimize students congregating on school grounds, we are allowing students to leave the school property at 3:22 p.m.; however, supervision will be provided until 3:37 p.m. for those students who choose to stay.

This change does not affect students who are transported by bus or light vehicle. 

Please ensure that your children have clear direction from you regarding your family’s after-school plan.  Thanks in advance to all school families for their ongoing support and cooperation.

Return to School Handbook

September 1, 2020 -- Regina Public Schools families can now read most details about returning to school in one document. The Return to School Parent/Caregiver Handbook includes all the information school families may need to know about school in September and beyond.

The handbook includes:

- Safety precaution details and what the schools and learning will be like in the coming school year

- Transportation

- Curriculum, instruction and assessment for Kindergarten to Grade 12

- Support Services information for students with intensive needs

- Program information for the 2020-21 school year

- Facilities disinfecting and cleaning information

This handbook details school division-wide information. Parents and caregivers are reminded to always contact their schools and high schools directly for specific information about those schools. This handbook is subject to change, pending direction from the Government of Saskatchewan and local and provincial health authorities.

The Return to School Parent/Caregiver Handbook is available here.

For a return-to-school safety plan infographic, follow this link.

Follow this link for more specific details about the Regina Public Schools Fall 2020 School Reopening Plan.

Changes to Expect at Elementary Schools

August 14, 2020 -- The return to school is just around the corner and parents, caregivers and students are preparing for a school year that will be like no other. Regina Public Schools administrators and staff are also planning, preparing and getting ready to re-open schools and restart education in a way that is as safe as possible for students and staff and that honours the guidelines and direction provided by the Government of Saskatchewan, as well as by local and provincial health and public health authorities.

What’s new?

We are encouraging elementary school parents and caregivers to register for the 2020-21 school year by going online. This is only for students new to the division, or for students going to a new school. Students enrolled at a school from a previous year are automatically registered. For families interested in e-Learning, more information will be available, including how to register. Registration will be through Regina Public Schools, and is available for all families who chose to use it. More details are coming as soon as possible.  For families interested in Home-Based Education, please follow this link

What to expect on the first day of school?

For health and safety and to make the transition back to school less stressful during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the first four days of school will be very different than in previous years. The first day of school is September 1, however school start will be staggered. This means that not all students will start and attend school at the same time during the first week. Exact times and details will be available soon and will also be sent to all families directly from their school in the third week of August, 2020.

The reason for this is to help students and staff transition to learning safely. During these first four days, there will be fewer students in class and teachers and other staff will be able to work more closely with students to help them adjust to safety guidelines and to learn about how their school days will be different.

Families with questions should contact their school. Schools will contact Pre-K and Kindergarten families about school start details.

 

Adjusted Recess

One way to help keep students physically distant is to limit large gatherings. In previous years, the time before and after morning and afternoon recesses were times where most students gathered in hallways and other small spaces.

New for 2020-21, all elementary schools will be following adjusted recesses. This means that the morning recess will be at 8:53 to 9:08 a.m. and the afternoon recess will be from 3:22 to 3:37 p.m. These times will have adult supervision on the playgrounds.

School transportation will also be altered to ensure that students arrive to school in ways to further encourage physical distancing on the playground and at school entrances.

What about playing and body breaks? Teachers will be providing morning and afternoon breaks for their classes during the instructional day, as needed. Individual classes on the playground will reduce crowding and may help students stay safe!

Some Regina Public Schools have been successfully using adjusted recesses for many years. They can provide teachers with more flexibility with instruction time and play time.

Note that there may be some minor time differences for schools with joint transportation or who previously had an adjusted recess. Please check with your school.

Help us cut down on school zone congestion to stay safe!

Regina Public Schools is encouraging all school families who do not use school division transportation to get to school safely. Please do not drive or stop vehicles within one block of your school. Walk, bike run and stride over to school.

Car and people congestion around schools makes keeping physically distant difficult. Please help make the transition back to school a safe one. This poster will be at all schools.

School is for students and staff!

Regina Public Schools will be limiting and restricting public access to schools. Cleaning and disinfecting all school rooms and areas will be a regular activity every day. We are trying to ensure that we know who to expect in our schools and where they will be in the building.

Schools will encourage electronic and telephone communication with parents, when possible. All school guests and visitors will be asked to contact the school prior to visiting. Before entering the school, they will be greeted by staff.

Members of the public will not be permitted into the schools and guest speakers and outside presenters will not be allowed until further notice.

Signage at schools will reinforce that all visitors and guests must call a specific phone number prior to entry.

Each school will have its own specific plan for visitor and guest safety and that will be shared with parents.

Masks required and recommended where necessary

Regina Public Schools will be requiring all Grades 4 to 12 students to wear non-medical masks while at school and recommending that all pre-kindergarten to Grade 3 students wear non-medical masks while at school. In both cases, this will apply when physical distancing is not possible.

All staff and visitors in our schools will be required to wear masks.

All students and staff using Regina Public Schools transportation will be required to wear non-medical masks while being transported. See details here.

What to expect for high school?

We are working to come up with plans to allow for safer physical distancing in our high schools. Stay tuned here – more to come as soon as plans are finalized.

Expect to hear more details directly from your schools by the third week of August.

School Re-Opening Plan Announced

August 4, 2020 -- Regina Public Schools has just released the Fall 2020 School Re-Opening Plan. Based on the Government of Saskatchewan and Response Planning Team guidelines, the Plan can be reviewed here.

Parents, Guardians and Students please read this letter relating to the Plan from Greg Enion, Director of Education.

You can also review material shared by the Government of Saskatchewan. The news release is here and a related brochure can be found here.