September 11th, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are busy putting final touches on our classrooms and looking forward to next week when all of our students will be joining us again at Trillium.  Classroom assignments will be shared via School Day on Friday, September 11th- and staff will be reaching out to connect with students this week to share drop off spots for each class.

When students arrive at school, they will find staff spread out on the school yard.  Students should look for their teacher and check in, then remain physically distanced while awaiting entry to the school and their classroom. 

Trauma-informed Approach
Trillium P.S. Staff will be using a TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH which embraces the following qualities:
  • Establish connections & build relationships to create safety and trust
  • Be flexible using a growth mindset to respond & offer choice to unique challenges
  • Be predictable by creating routines & expectations that are supportive and without judgement
  • Delight in our students by welcoming them, believing in them and finding teachable moments
  • Co-regulation of emotions to develop calm minds and bodies while responding with empathy

Student Arrival Procedures 

  • All students, parents, and staff will be expected to wear face masks while outside before and after school for drop off/pick up. 
  •  Please do not arrive prior to 8:50 a.m. The school yard and tarmac is reserved for outdoor learning activities for our before care programs:  Youth  Development Program and WRDSB extended day.
  • On the first day of attendance, students will follow the signage to the designated area on school property where their child’s cohort/class will be waiting, following the classroom teacher’s direction.  
  • Parents and/or students who are unable to find their class, may ask for direction from one of the staff members standing on the tarmac, sidewalk or pathway.
  • Parents and students are expected to maintain 2 meters from others while in their designated areas. For our older students, we encourage parents to help their child find their teacher/meeting spot, and then move off school property as soon as possible to reduce the number of people in close proximity.
  • At 9:00 a.m. Educators will welcome students into the school.  
  • Educators will begin setting up regular routines starting with tarmac line up locations, and making connections with students.

Be prepared for all weather conditions. We will be outside even if it is cold and wet.

Late Arrival Procedures

Late arrivals whenever possible should be scheduled in advance with the Main Office. Parents will not be allowed into the school, so please be patient as we work to keep everyone safe and admit students one by one. 

Please follow this procedure: 

  • Contact the Main Office attendance line at 519-743-6368, press 1 if at all possible if you know ahead of time your child will be late. Or email: tri-attendance@wrdsb.ca
  • In the event the late is not pre arranged student’s in grade 1-6 are expected to stand on the physical distance markers at the front door, ensuring a 2 metre distance from others and wait to be buzzed in one at a time. The late will be recorded by the office and students will head straight to class. 
  • Parents of kindergarten students may wait with their child until the student is buzzed in. Please let the office know they are kindergarten and a staff member will escort the student to class. Parents will not be able to enter the building at any point.

Academic Equipment and Supplies 

Students will be supplied where possible with materials and resources for individual use. Any common supplies that are used by students in the classroom will be cleaned before use by the next student. Chromebooks will be assigned to specified students and will be cleaned between users.  Limited paper products will be handed out by educators.  Paper that is ‘handed in’ must be handed in to an ‘in bin’ that sits for 7 days before it is touched by the educator.

Students who borrowed electronic devices in the spring, and are returning to in person learning, are asked to return the devices to school on their first day back.  They will be cleaned and used within our classrooms as soon as possible.  Library books may also be returned so we may follow proper procedures for Health and Safety and get them back in circulation.

Lunch 

Lunch bags and water bottles will be taken home daily.  Parents/guardians are responsible for cleaning and students for refilling these items before returning to school.  Trillium will continue its boomerang lunch and all garbage will be taken home. Garbage and recycling that must be handled by others is discouraged. Staff members will ensure students wash their hands before and after eating, and staff must wash their hands before and after assisting each student during lunch and snack. At this time, all lunch programs are on hold.

Nutrition for Learning

Students will have access to the snacks provided by N4L.  Servings will be individually pre wrapped beginning the week of September 21st.  All perishable and single serving foods will be distributed by educators at scheduled times and when requested by a hungry student. 

Under no circumstances may students share food, drinks, utensils, containers, or cups. 

Refillable Water Stations

Water fountains are closed off; however, our bottle filling station is still in place. Students are strongly encouraged to bring their own labelled refillable water bottle with lid to maintain hydration. Each day, students are encouraged to take it home, wash it and bring it back full the next morning.

Learning Platforms 

Due to the ongoing developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trillium P.S. and its community must be prepared for the possible closure of the School and return to distance learning.  Another possibility is a transition to the hybrid model where students spend some time at school and some time at home in distance learning.  If the provincial government issues orders or regulations mandating school closures or move to the hybrid model, Trillium P.S. will abide by the terms of those orders or regulations. Each classroom will have a virtual learning platform running at the start of the school year.  Staff will work with students in the classroom to familiarize themselves with its use and help them to navigate the system, using it as a paperless tool as much as possible. Our goal is to have students able to transition to online learning as seamlessly as possible.

School Start Up Paperwork

As part of the school year start-up, parents and caregivers are asked to review information to help you navigate the upcoming school year. Some of the information requires a response and other information is posted for your review. All the information can be found on the School Year Information section of the WRDSB website. This information will also be shared on School Day

Essential Layered Protective Measures 

Maintaining social & physical distance 

Staff and students will maintain a physical distance by keeping 2 metres apart in shared spaces in the school building and at least 1 metre of desk separation in the classroom. When walking through the school building, either stop or step back from others to maintain this distance whenever possible. Wayfinding arrows have been provided on the floor to help children remember to maintain distance during transitions.  Social distancing between students will be maintained whenever possible during daily work, nutrition breaks, at bathroom breaks and free time.

Due to physical limitations of the building, a reminder that at this time, we are asking that parents not send indoor shoes and only bring essential items.  We do not have the go ahead to use hall hooks, and any student supplies will be kept with them on their chair/in their desk and we’d like to reduce the clutter as much as possible.

Wearing face coverings 

Face coverings are an essential and proven COVID-19 mitigation factor and are mandated by the Provincial government. All adults (i.e., visitors, parents, staff) and any student in junior kindergarten through grade 6 must wear a mask at school, to the maximum extent possible and practical.  The only exception to this is when cohorts are engaged in physical activities/play outside where a minimum distance of 2 meters can be maintained between individuals, or when students are eating at their desks for lunch.  Otherwise, parents will need to contact the office to discuss medical concerns or other Human Rights code grounds for creating a mask accommodation.

Up to 5 cloth masks will be provided to each student for the school year, but will need to start on the first day with their own.  Please wash masks regularly at home.

Parent Screening of their child Before Arrival  at School

Parents and Guardians will use the Daily Student Screening checklist prior to sending their child to school.  It is expected that if your child presents with one or more of the symptoms on the checklist that you will keep them home for 24 hours after the symptoms disappear.  When COVID-19 is suspected, contact Waterloo Region Public Health Services and the school principal.  The Daily Student screening checklist will  be posted in every classroom.  A COVID symptoms checklist poster will be posted on all entrances to the building. Daily health screenings are essential to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 while we are all at school. 

We acknowledge that children may be sick from a variety of illnesses that are unrelated to COVID-19.  However, this is a time for utmost caution.  When your child is ill for ANY reason, please keep them at home.

Health Screening Protocol 

Individuals who meet any of the criteria below will not be allowed at school.

  • Temperature over 37.8°C or greater or have taken medication to lower the body temperature 
  • Any of the following symptoms
  • Cough
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Sore throat
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • New loss of smell or taste
  • Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain
  • Runny nose or nasal congestion
  • Red eyes (conjunctivitis)
  • Not feeling well, tired or sore muscles
  • Chills or headache
  • Lethargy, loss of energy, loss of appetite
  • Been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19
  • Within the last 14 days, been in close contact with someone who returned from travel outside of Canada

 

All parents/guardians must develop a COVID-19 CONTACT EMERGENCY PLAN that is shared with the school office.  The plan should include only names, phone numbers and email addresses of family members or caregivers who can be available to respond in a timely fashion to a phone call from the school with a request for pick up (within 30 minutes).

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the main office at 519-743-6368 and we will be happy to help.