The Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows school district has implemented the recommended measures outlined by the Office of the Provincial Health Officer and the BC Centre for Disease Control [See 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) B.C. public health guidance for schools and childcare programs].
These measures include the following:
- Enhanced cleaning at all sites that targets commonly touched surfaces. These include door handles, the push areas above door handles, countertops, light switches, cabinet handles, the top back as well as sides of teacher/student chairs, the top and sides of student/teacher desks, handrails, and faucets.
- Extra care is also taken to ensure soap dispensers are filled at all times, paper towels are available and/or hand dryers are working.
- Reminders about proper hand washing routines are posted in every washroom.
- Staff reinforce regular hand washing and proper hand hygiene routines, and assist younger students.
- Staff share reminders with students to be mindful of coughing and sneezing etiquette.
- Students, staff and volunteers are reminded to stay home when they are ill.
- Following the directive of the Provincial Health Officer, schools will not be holding assemblies, concerts or other events larger than 250 people.
- Closure of all SD42 school grounds to the public until further notice. This closure includes all fields, sports courts and playgrounds.
On March 4, 2020, superintendent Sylvia Russell sent a letter to affected families advising that all international field trips for spring break 2020 have been cancelled.
“While individual families can assume higher levels of risk, as a school district we cannot expose our students and staff to high levels of uncertainty that cannot be reasonably mitigated with a safety plan,” superintendent Russell writes.
“Although we deeply regret the disappointment these cancellations may cause, we want to stress that the safety of students and staff is always the primary consideration in any decision the school district makes about school trips.”
School district procedure on all level 2 field trips requires travel insurance that includes a full cancellation refund. Schools will be following up with families regarding the reimbursement process.
Field trips scheduled later in the 2019/2020 school year will be monitored and a decision will be made closer to the scheduled date.
The district has instituted a temporary moratorium on the approval of any other field trips.
Read superintendent Russell’s letter regarding spring break field trips.
The BC Centre for Disease Control recommends the following to help prevent infection and the spread of COVID-19.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- If a sink is not available, alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHR) can be used to clean your hands as long as they are not visibly soiled. If they are visibly soiled, use a wipe and then ABHR to effectively clean them.
- Do not touch your face, eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
- Cover your mouth and nose with a disposable tissue or the crease of your elbow when you sneeze or cough
- Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces
- Do not share food, drinks, utensils, etc.
- Stay at home when you are sick
- Minimize your contact with others through physical distancing by keeping about two metres apart when outside your home
- If you have fever, a new cough, or are having difficulty breathing, call 8-1-1
For more information and additional resources, visit http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/about-covid-19/prevention
