Announcements

Dear parents/guardians,

On Monday, February 24, 2020, all school districts in the province received guidance from the Office of the Provincial Health Officer and the BC Centre for Disease Control regarding recommended measures for preventing and controlling respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, in schools and childcare settings.

Please see the document below for a summary of these recommendations, information on how the recommendations are being implemented in our school district, and guidance on the steps you can take at home.

Download Summary for Parents: COVID-19 Guidelines for BC Schools

For additional announcements, visit https://www.sd42.ca/information-community-coronavirus/

Dear parents/guardians,

As you know, on February 21, Fraser Health provided school districts in the Fraser Valley with an update on novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Since the release of this update, many different concerns have begun to circulate online in the region.

Although school districts cannot speak about specific schools or specific individuals, I want to reassure you that the Fraser Health Authority reports there is no public threat at schools in the region or anywhere else in the province. Whenever there is a public health matter, school districts work closely with health authorities to keep students and staff safe.

This week, all school districts in the province received additional guidance from the Office of the Provincial Health Officer and the BC Centre for Disease Control regarding recommended measures for preventing and controlling respiratory viruses (including COVID-19) in schools and childcare settings. We will be providing you with a summary of these recommendations shortly and will also let you know how they are being implemented in our school district and what steps you can take at home.

We understand that you may have many questions and concerns regarding the novel coronavirus. We are in regular communication with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Fraser Health, and will continue to provide you with the very latest information provided by health authorities. We will continue to send these through the parent portal and to post them to the school district website at https://www.sd42.ca/information-community-coronavirus/.

Sincerely,

Sylvia Russell
Superintendent

For additional announcements, visit https://www.sd42.ca/information-community-coronavirus/

On Feb. 24, Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry issued a joint statement announcing B.C.’s seventh case of COVID-19 – a man in his 40s – a close contact of the sixth case who lives in the Fraser Health region. Please see more: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0043-000320

Please note provincial recommendations on travel-related, self isolation:

The Provincial Health Officer is advising people who have been to Hubei province in the last 14 days, or who have been in contact with someone who has, to call public health officials and self-isolate for 14 days.

The Provincial Health Officer is also advising that anyone who is concerned they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of, the coronavirus should contact their primary care provider, local public health office or call 811. Translation services for 811 are available in more than 130 languages.
 

Useful Links

Feb. 20 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0041-000304
Feb. 19 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0039-000294
Feb. 14 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health  Officer: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0036-000284
Feb. 6 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0025-000236
Feb. 4 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0023-000222
Feb. 3 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0020-000210
Ministry of Health response plans – https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/pandemic-influenza
Novel Coronavirus Q&A from HealthLinkBC: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus
BC Centre for Disease Control: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/coronavirus-(novel)
Government of Canada – Novel Coronavirus in China Travel Health Notice: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/travel-health-notices/210

For additional announcements, visit https://www.sd42.ca/information-community-coronavirus/

The following novel coronavirus (COVID-19) update has been provided by Fraser Health:

(Click to read)

For additional announcements, visit https://www.sd42.ca/information-community-coronavirus/

See the February 7, 2020 update below from Ministry of Health on novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are writing to give you updated information on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), a new virus causing respiratory illness. Families may be concerned about the risk to their families. The highest number of infections continue to be reported from Hubei Province, China. There have been a small number of cases of 2019-nCoV in B.C. which are being very closely managed. The risk to British Columbians remains low.

Our knowledge of this virus continues to grow, and we are using new information to adjust our public health recommendations. We are now aware of early evidence that this virus can cause a range of mild to severe symptoms, and it is possible that people will not recognize symptoms that are mild. During this time, they can reduce the chance of spread by limiting contact with others. (more…)

Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows School District six-year grad completion rates increased slightly in 2018/19, marking the fifth straight year of overall improvement.

• Completion rates for all students increased from 91.4% in 2017/18 to 91.8% for 2018/19;
• Completion rates for BC resident students have decreased slightly from 92.7% to 92.3% but remain strong;
• Completion rates for Aboriginal Education students have decreased for 2018/19 at 81.2% but continue to sit well above the 69% provincial average;
• Completion rates students with special needs have increased slightly from 81.4% in 2017/18 to 82.5% in 2018/19 and also sit well above the 72% provincial average;
• Completion rates for ELL graduation rates improved from 90.0% in 2017/18 to 90.9% in 2018/19.

Registration for the following school district programs opens at noon on Thursday, February 6, 2020:

Wheelhouse – Alouette
CLICK TO REGISTER

Cyberschool – Alouette
CLICK TO REGISTER

Late French Immersion – Golden Ears
CLICK TO REGISTER

The following update has been provided by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education:

On January 28, BC Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry announced that the first case of novel coronavirus has been confirmed in BC. Further details are available HERE.

The Ministry of Education will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health, local health authorities and other levels of government to ensure students and school district employees are kept informed and safe. There is ongoing monitoring throughout BC, nationally and internationally, and all necessary precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of infection. (more…)

Fraser Health has provided the following update on novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to share with our school communities: 

Re: Novel coronavirus

Fraser Health Medical Health Officers are monitoring reports of the novel coronavirus (named 2019-nCoV), first identified in Wuhan, China. While there have been cases identified outside of China, all of these individuals are known to have recent travel associated with the Wuhan area. 

Currently, there are no confirmed cases in Canada. Public Health officials are working together to ensure that any unusual illness in arriving travellers is being appropriately screened.  Physicians have also been requested to notify Public Health of any illness of concern in patients who were recently in the Wuhan area. (more…)

The proposed calendars for 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 were presented to the Board of Education at the January 22, 2020 public meeting.

We welcome your feedback on these proposed calendars, which will be out for public consultation from January 23, 2020 through to February 21, 2020 (4:00 pm).

Review the proposed calendars at https://www.sd42.ca/proposed-district-calendars/. A link to an online survey is included on this page.