Welcome back to our students, staff and families.!
We hope that all of our students and families have had a restful and relaxing summer and that you've all stayed healthy. Our administrative team has been busy planning for our re-entry to school during this COVID-19 pandemic.
There are a number of things that we know you will have heard about our return to school; however, we wanted to share a few items in advance for the first day of school on SEPTEMBER 8th. Things may continue to change, so we invite you to check our website for further updates. We will continue to follow the Ministry of Education and Saskatchewan Health guidelines to ensure we are doing all we can to keep everyone safe. Ensure you keep your family contact information and email addresses up to date to receive information.
We currently have 207 student registrations and our average class sizes vary between 20 and 29 students. This number currently includes families who may have moved away or who may have opted to enroll in Regina Public School's e-Learning program. We anticipate that physical distancing in the classroom will be difficult, therefore students in grades 4-8 and all staff will be required to wear non-medical masks. Regina Public Schools will provide your child with one reusable mask. We encourage each family to purchase more than one so that a freshly laundered one may be used daily. Students in PreKindergarten to grade 3 will be strongly encouraged to also wear masks. If you can assist us by familiarizing your child(ren) with their masks, this would be appreciated!
Our school does not have lockers for everyone, so students will be required to share lockers for coats and shoes. We will attempt to have students with a consistent partner both for locker and classroom seating partners. During instructional times, students will remain in their classroom groups – or cohorts – for the day. Specialist teachers, administration, educational assistants, etc., will interact with the cohort in their space to avoid having the students move within the school. Staff members entering classrooms will be required to wash or use hand sanitizer prior to entry and as they leave the classroom.
Students who can go home for lunch are highly encouraged to do so. Those who must stay will eat in their room with the same cohort of students. The library and gym will be closed to start the year as we will avoid any shared spaces.
Students will not work in our hallways as we were accustomed to doing in the past. We are increasing from 2 boot rooms to 4 entry/exit points. Teachers will pick up their classes from their designated outdoor meeting place upon entry to the school. Each class will then have the same set of doors that they will enter and exit from each morning, lunch and end of the day.
Parents will not be allowed on the playground or to intermingle with our students during school hours. Parents who want to pick up children are encouraged to choose a meeting location on the perimeter of the school grounds or off of the school grounds. We encourage
you to start practicing now where you will meet your child at the end of the day if you are picking them up. We are also strongly encouraging all students/families to Stride to School or to drop off students a few blocks away from school. This would help students be active and we can avoid congestion in our bus zone and on the streets. Additionally, for safety of students and staff who may be walking, the staff parking lot is not to be used as a drop off or pick up area.
Across Regina Public Schools, recesses have been moved to limit classroom transitions. A split recess will occur during lunch. Our new hours are:
● 8:53 - 9:08 am Morning Recess
● 9:08 - 11:45am Instructional Time ●
11:45 - 12:45pm Lunch - Students who go home are encouraged to return as close to 12:45pm as possible!
Group A will have recess from 11:45 to 12:00pm
Group B will have recess from 12:30 to 12:45pm
● 12:45 - 3:22pm Instructional Time
● 3:22 - 3:37pm Afternoon Recess/Dismissal
We also ask that students who are not transported by division buses/cabs plan to arrive as close to 9:08am as possible. At 3:22pm, students who have signed permission from their parents will be free to make their way home rather than stay for recess. Permission forms will be sent home on the first day. These are both implemented to avoid overcrowding on the playground.
Students transported by bus/cab will receive their schedules from Regina Public Schools Transportation. Masks will be mandatory for all students riding the bus/cab.
Please note that NO PARENTS will be allowed to enter the school without an appointment. If an appointment is needed a mask must be worn. This includes daily drop off and pick up from school.
This year, more than ever, we will really be relying on a lot of extra home support to maintain a safe and organized environment. Students will NOT be allowed to phone home for any thing they may have forgotten (lunch, mask, homework) so we STRONGLY encourage you to help your child stay organized and have everything ready for the day.
If you are interested in remote learning, please go to https://www.reginapublica/eschool. This is not the same as the supplemental learning we provided in March-June. This online learning will encompass the full curriculum with on-going assessment.
There will be more information to come, however, we wanted to share a few details to assist you and your students for the return to Gladys McDonald School! Thank you in advance for your continued support. Our staff cannot wait to welcome you back into our school!
Gladys McDonald School Team
