WCPS September School Re-Entry Update #6

August 28, 2020

Dear Wolf Creek Public Schools’ families, 

We are only a few days away from the start of the 2020-21 school year. Schools have communicated individual school plans this week that provide information on specific guidelines for your school regarding pick up and drop off locations, staggered arrival and dismissal protocols and unique guidelines around locker use, sports, etc. Please read your school plan and if you have any questions, contact your school directly. 

Additionally, the Government of Alberta has updated its guidelines to include recently announced measures, namely around mask use in schools and on the bus. Masks continue to be mandatory for students in grades 4-12 when physical distancing cannot be maintained, and are mandatory on the bus. Masks are optional for Pre-K to Grade 3 students, which now for those students (in Pre-K to Grade 3) includes being optional on the bus. The Wolf Creek Public Schools’ District Re-Entry Plan has been updated to reflect these additions and changes to the provincial guidelines, and can be found on our Division website at: https://www.wolfcreek.ab.ca/covid-19/2020-2021-school-year-relaunch. The Alberta Government-provided washable masks (two per student) will be distributed the week of September 1 to 4. In the interim, parents/guardians are advised to equip their child with a mask (washable or disposable) each day for the first week of school. We have had several questions regarding the appropriate masks that students should be wearing. We have added a resource for parents at: https://www.wolfcreek.ab.ca/covid-19/resources-for-parents. Please note, based on the information provided by Alberta Health Services, students and staff cannot wear: balaclavas, bandanas, buffs, or scarves, in place of non-medical face masks. 

We want to thank all parents and students who participated in or watched our Virtual Town Hall on Monday, August 17, 2020. We hope you found it informative and that we were able to answer a number of your questions. Meanwhile, we have created a number of resources on our website to help answer your questions, and give you clarity on guidelines from the Alberta Government on COVID-19 prevention in schools, and what will happen in the event of a confirmed case or outbreak. That information and a video to the Virtual Town Hall can be found at: https://www.wolfcreek.ab.ca/covid-19/2020-2021-school-year-relaunch 

I also want to thank you for completing the recent survey asking for your family’s preference for learning options this year, be it in-person, virtual or homeschool. Remember that the survey is not a substitute for registration and if you are choosing the Virtual Learning Program, please contact your local Wolf Creek school as they can assist in setting your child(ren) up in that program. 

I hope you are ready for the start of the new school year, as we across Wolf Creek are excited for students to return to classrooms, and are committed to ensuring the safety and health of all students, staff, families and the communities we serve. 

Respectfully,

Jayson Lovell

Superintendent