News from the Principal's Office | Welcoming our Students Back to School
Hello Fern Families,
We know that this school year will be different, so to help ease your worry and anxiety we have prepared the following guidelines to help you visualize what a typical school day will look like. We look forward to welcoming back our students whether they are attending in person or participating in online learning.
Staggered Entry:
Staggered entry means that different cohorts enter the school in a pre-planned order. This does not mean that our school start and end times (bell times) change. Bell times will remain the same: 9:15-3:45 pm for Grades 1-5, 9:15-3:35 for grades 6,7,8, and 9:15- 3:30 pm for all Kindergartens (JK/SK). This will give staff additional time to prepare the school and classrooms for your child's return and give students time to learn and practice new Health and Safety measures in smaller groups.
Staggered entry pre-planned order for September 15, 16 and 17 only:
Sept. 15th - all SK, Grade 4 and Grade 8 students come to school (this includes 3/4 splits)
Sept. 16th - all JK, Grade 1 and Grade 7 students come to school (this includes 1/2 splits)
Sept. 17th - Grade 2, 3, 5 and 6 students come to school (this includes 2/3 splits)
Sept. 18th - All students in school
Each cohort will wait in their designated entry/exit doors (see below), while physically distancing (pink lines in yard) until entry. Once the door is cleared, the next cohort will enter the building. A path to the classrooms or learning spaces is clearly marked with signage/decals to ensure safety and distancing in hallways and stairwells.
Entry and Exit Doors: Who comes in where?
In order to physically distance students and best accommodate them we have made some changes to entry and exit. Please note that at each daily entry point there will be a questionnaire screening by a staff member and sanitizing of hands prior to entry into school, masks will be available and gloves if needed.
Exit 1 - main entry doors for staff, parents/guardians/visitors in order to abide by school safety protocols - screening (checklist of questions) signing in, sanitizing, masks available if needed, gloves available if needed
Exit 2- Ferncliff Daycare use only for their staff/families/students
Exit 3 - Grade 7, 8 - screening (questionnaire poster staff member present), sanitizing
Exit 4- Grades 4, 5, 6 - screening by staff, sanitizing
Exit 5 - Room 215 Gr 3/4, Room 214 Grade 4, Room 213 Gr. 1/2 - screening by staff, sanitizing
Exit 8 - Grades 1, 2, 3 - screening by staff, sanitizing
Exit 9 - SK students in room 102, 104 lower and 104 upper - screening by staff, sanitizing
Once students start, they will continue to come to school every day.
All staff will be present to receive their students in their classes and follow the Health and Safety guidelines in their own classrooms as well. They will go over in detail, the classroom expectation with regards to the new Health and Safety protocols and hand hygiene. They will have their own hand washing /sanitizing stations set up for students. Students will be assigned seating. Lockers will be closed.
Lunch and Recess:
Students will remain with their class cohort throughout the day, including recess and lunch to limit student contacts. Students are encouraged to stay at school for lunch, however, they can go home for lunch. Our cafeteria will offer a bagged lunch if you are interested for a fee of $5.00. Please contact the office for more information.
A Day in the Life of our Fern Students:
Before School: Make sure your child(ren) have what they need for the school day:
-Reusable mask ( well fitted and cleaned as needed)
-Packaged lunch
-Reusable water bottle, labelled with child's name, as only the water bottle filling stations will be available for water
-Items not needed should be left home as their will be limited space for students to store items
-Be sure to complete the screening at home. If your child is showing any symptoms, please keep your child home
-When dropping off students at school, only one parent or caregiver should bring child to school to limit number of people in the school yard and to support physical distancing
Arriving at School:
-Children that walk to school are encouraged to arrive to school as close to the start time of 9:15 as possible and should arrive with masks on.
-Children who take the school bus should keep their masks on when they get off the bus and come into the school yard.
-Children will have their entry pre-arranged location to enter school (see above)
-Before entering school, staff will provide hand sanitizer to students
-If students arrive late, they must go to the office and receive a touch-free late slip
During Class:
-Students will remain in their classroom for most of the day with their class cohort
-Rotary teachers (Music, Phys Ed, French, Drama, Dance) will be coming to the students class as much as possible (or outdoors)
-Students will have access to the essential learning materials they will need for the school day
-Bathroom breaks are available for students when needed
During Lunch:
-Students will have an opportunity to clean their hands before and after they eat
-Students will eat their lunch in their classrooms and at their own desk
-Please ensure that students are able to open food containers on their own and bring their own utensils
During Outdoor Time:
-Weather permitting, students will enjoy their outdoor time throughout the day and with their class cohort
-Students will not be able to play on the Playscape equipment in order to support health and safety
-Outdoor time will be staggered to help minimize the number of students outdoors at one time
-Students will not have to wear masks while outdoors if able to practice physical distancing
-Before entering the school, teachers will provide hand sanitizer to students. Teachers will bring their students into the school in a physically distanced way.
After School:
During the last period of the day, staff will help students walk to appropriate dismissal area.
Parents or caregivers are reminded to wear masks and ensure physical distancing while on school property and picking up children
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we prepare to ensure the health and safety of all our students, staff and community.
Just remember that we are FERN PS and we are strong, we will learn, we will have fun, we will be safe and most importantly, we will be kind and supportive of each other!
Yours in partnership,
R. Sardella
Principal/Directrice
We know that this school year will be different, so to help ease your worry and anxiety we have prepared the following guidelines to help you visualize what a typical school day will look like. We look forward to welcoming back our students whether they are attending in person or participating in online learning.
Staggered Entry:
Staggered entry means that different cohorts enter the school in a pre-planned order. This does not mean that our school start and end times (bell times) change. Bell times will remain the same: 9:15-3:45 pm for Grades 1-5, 9:15-3:35 for grades 6,7,8, and 9:15- 3:30 pm for all Kindergartens (JK/SK). This will give staff additional time to prepare the school and classrooms for your child's return and give students time to learn and practice new Health and Safety measures in smaller groups.
Staggered entry pre-planned order for September 15, 16 and 17 only:
Sept. 15th - all SK, Grade 4 and Grade 8 students come to school (this includes 3/4 splits)
Sept. 16th - all JK, Grade 1 and Grade 7 students come to school (this includes 1/2 splits)
Sept. 17th - Grade 2, 3, 5 and 6 students come to school (this includes 2/3 splits)
Sept. 18th - All students in school
Each cohort will wait in their designated entry/exit doors (see below), while physically distancing (pink lines in yard) until entry. Once the door is cleared, the next cohort will enter the building. A path to the classrooms or learning spaces is clearly marked with signage/decals to ensure safety and distancing in hallways and stairwells.
Entry and Exit Doors: Who comes in where?
In order to physically distance students and best accommodate them we have made some changes to entry and exit. Please note that at each daily entry point there will be a questionnaire screening by a staff member and sanitizing of hands prior to entry into school, masks will be available and gloves if needed.
Exit 1 - main entry doors for staff, parents/guardians/visitors in order to abide by school safety protocols - screening (checklist of questions) signing in, sanitizing, masks available if needed, gloves available if needed
Exit 2- Ferncliff Daycare use only for their staff/families/students
Exit 3 - Grade 7, 8 - screening (questionnaire poster staff member present), sanitizing
Exit 4- Grades 4, 5, 6 - screening by staff, sanitizing
Exit 5 - Room 215 Gr 3/4, Room 214 Grade 4, Room 213 Gr. 1/2 - screening by staff, sanitizing
Exit 8 - Grades 1, 2, 3 - screening by staff, sanitizing
Exit 9 - SK students in room 102, 104 lower and 104 upper - screening by staff, sanitizing
Once students start, they will continue to come to school every day.
All staff will be present to receive their students in their classes and follow the Health and Safety guidelines in their own classrooms as well. They will go over in detail, the classroom expectation with regards to the new Health and Safety protocols and hand hygiene. They will have their own hand washing /sanitizing stations set up for students. Students will be assigned seating. Lockers will be closed.
Lunch and Recess:
Students will remain with their class cohort throughout the day, including recess and lunch to limit student contacts. Students are encouraged to stay at school for lunch, however, they can go home for lunch. Our cafeteria will offer a bagged lunch if you are interested for a fee of $5.00. Please contact the office for more information.
A Day in the Life of our Fern Students:
Before School: Make sure your child(ren) have what they need for the school day:
-Reusable mask ( well fitted and cleaned as needed)
-Packaged lunch
-Reusable water bottle, labelled with child's name, as only the water bottle filling stations will be available for water
-Items not needed should be left home as their will be limited space for students to store items
-Be sure to complete the screening at home. If your child is showing any symptoms, please keep your child home
-When dropping off students at school, only one parent or caregiver should bring child to school to limit number of people in the school yard and to support physical distancing
Arriving at School:
-Children that walk to school are encouraged to arrive to school as close to the start time of 9:15 as possible and should arrive with masks on.
-Children who take the school bus should keep their masks on when they get off the bus and come into the school yard.
-Children will have their entry pre-arranged location to enter school (see above)
-Before entering school, staff will provide hand sanitizer to students
-If students arrive late, they must go to the office and receive a touch-free late slip
During Class:
-Students will remain in their classroom for most of the day with their class cohort
-Rotary teachers (Music, Phys Ed, French, Drama, Dance) will be coming to the students class as much as possible (or outdoors)
-Students will have access to the essential learning materials they will need for the school day
-Bathroom breaks are available for students when needed
During Lunch:
-Students will have an opportunity to clean their hands before and after they eat
-Students will eat their lunch in their classrooms and at their own desk
-Please ensure that students are able to open food containers on their own and bring their own utensils
During Outdoor Time:
-Weather permitting, students will enjoy their outdoor time throughout the day and with their class cohort
-Students will not be able to play on the Playscape equipment in order to support health and safety
-Outdoor time will be staggered to help minimize the number of students outdoors at one time
-Students will not have to wear masks while outdoors if able to practice physical distancing
-Before entering the school, teachers will provide hand sanitizer to students. Teachers will bring their students into the school in a physically distanced way.
After School:
During the last period of the day, staff will help students walk to appropriate dismissal area.
Parents or caregivers are reminded to wear masks and ensure physical distancing while on school property and picking up children
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we prepare to ensure the health and safety of all our students, staff and community.
Just remember that we are FERN PS and we are strong, we will learn, we will have fun, we will be safe and most importantly, we will be kind and supportive of each other!
Yours in partnership,
R. Sardella
Principal/Directrice
