Superintendent Update: Keeping Safe During COVID-19
Letter from Superintendent Darryl Seguin to all Staff, Students, Parents/Guardians, and Communities
I understand that there may be concerns about COVID-19 transmission in your community and schools. Our communities and families have all been impacted during this pandemic and we all want to know that we can safely go to school and work.
I want to assure you that the safety and health of our students, staff, families, and communities is a top priority in Livingstone Range School Division. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, LRSD trustees, administrators, staff, and students have worked hard to make safety and protocol compliance of the utmost importance. From September 2020 to January 2021 we have completed seven Alberta Environmental Public Health Inspections and three Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Inspections, all of which confirm that our schools are following proper preventative measures and protocols.
I work very closely with Alberta Health Services each and every time we have a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in LRSD. Our administrators and staff do an excellent job of identifying close contacts in the school setting. Every school within our division has a comprehensive plan to operate safely within the health restrictions set out in the province of Alberta. At LRSD we follow AHS guidelines and direction, and we expect our staff, students, and families to do the same.
Still, I understand that many families are worried about possible exposure, quarantine requirements, and the timing of when it is considered safe for an individual to return to the school if they have been diagnosed with COVID-19. I wish to provide you with accurate, reliable information from provincial health authorities. Please visit the websites listed below for the most current protocols.
Government of Alberta’s COVID-19 for Albertans website
Isolation and Quarantine Requirements
Resource Guide for COVID-19 Cases in School (K-12) Settings
For your convenience, here is a summary of the most applicable protocols:
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Tested positive for COVID-19 You are legally required to isolate for 10 days minimum if you have tested positive for COVID-19. Isolation period is for 10 days from the start of symptoms, or until symptoms resolve, whichever takes longer. Proof of a negative COVID-19 test and/or a medical note is not required to return to school, work or activities once the isolation period is complete. Have symptoms but tested negative for COVID-19 If you tested negative and have known exposure to COVID-19, you are legally required to quarantine for 14 days. If you tested negative and have no known exposure to the virus, you are not legally required to quarantine, but you should stay home until your symptoms resolve so you don't infect others. Close contacts of confirmed cases You are legally required to quarantine for 14 days from the time you were exposed and monitor for symptoms if you are a close contact of a person who tested positive for COVID-19. If you become sick with a known COVID-19 symptom during this time, you must isolate for an additional 10 days from the beginning of symptoms or until you are feeling well, whichever takes longer. *Regardless of non-medical face mask use by either the case or contact, the entire classroom cohort, including the classroom teacher, may be considered to be close contacts of the case, based on the AHS Public Health investigation. This is a cautious approach to identifying close contacts in order to minimize the risk of transmission. Teachers/staff are assessed on a case-by-case basis. If a teacher/staff consistently maintains a two-metre distance from others at all times and has no direct contact with the infected person, they would not be considered a close contact. |
Let me assure you once again that I am absolutely committed to the safety of our students, staff, families, and communities and we are doing everything possible to comply with AHS’s protocols and procedures. We will continue to work with all our stakeholders to ensure we keep one another safe during this very difficult time.
Sincerely,
Darryl Seguin
Superintendent of Schools