(File Photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Mask Mandate

Horizon School Division Director talks masks mandate, later start, more funding for upcoming school year

Aug 18, 2020 | 8:00 AM

The Horizon School Division has decided to start their 2020/2021 school year on Level 2 of the provinces Safe Schools Plan.

That means students in grades four through 12 will be mandated to wear masks when physical distancing can’t be achieved, and they aren’t around their cohort.

“We’ll continue to try and mitigate the risks associated with this virus in the best way that we can,” Horizon’s Director of Education Kevin Garinger told northeastNOW. “And we fell like this is just an added layer of prevention that we think is important.”

The province initially stated that mask use would not be mandatory to begin with for the school year, but a number of school divisions have taken the approach to mandate masks now rather than wait for the Chief Medical Health Officers decision that could come later.

Horizon School Division has gone with a cohort approach for the school year, meaning students will remain mostly with the same group for their day. Masks won’t need to be worn while in the classroom with their cohort, or if the two metre distance can be achieved. Places like hallways, entrances, and common areas are the main places masks are to be worn at Horizon School Division locations.

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“When you tie masks in, and you have physical distancing wherever possible,” Garinger said.

“Then we’re going to really, probably mitigate this risk even more.” _{-Kevin Garinger on mask use in Horizon School Division schools.}

He added Horizon’s class sizes are the third smallest in the province, and those small sizes will help immensely with physical distancing.

For those in grades three and under, Garinger said masks are encouraged for that group, but not mandatory. He said it is possible however that they could become mandated in the future if the need arises.

Any students on the school busses will also have to wear masks for their journey to school, and bus drivers will also need to wear them for loading and unloading the bus. Garinger said students are still allowed to be dropped off by parents if that is possible.

Teachers will also need to wear a mask while at school when physical distancing can’t be achieved. Garinger said 8,000 masks have already been ordered for staff and students for the start of the school year, but families are encouraged to get another one for their children.

Meanwhile, on Aug. 15, the province announced that the school year would begin on Tuesday, Sept. 8 as opposed to Tuesday, Sept. 1. The government stated that it is to give some additional time for schools to get trained and prepared for a COVID-19 school year. Garinger said he felt they would be ready for Sept. 1, but any extra time to prepare is good.

“The more time we can prepare to ensure that the environment is more set up for [the children] to be successful,” he said. “I think that added little time will be beneficial to us as much as I feel like we were ready to go as of Sept. 1.”

The government also announced some extra funding for school divisions on Monday, Aug. 17. A total of $40 Million will be available to school divisions. $10 Million of the $40 will go to the Ministry of Education to procure masks and other Personal Protective Equipment as necessary. $20 Million will go to divisions on an application basis to help with COVID-19 pandemic related costs like staffing and sanitation measures. The other quarter of the funds will be used for things like distance learning for fragile students.

Garinger said they’ll work with each family and adjust accordingly to the needs of each student. He said they’ll be prepared to hire more staff if necessary as well. Families are also encouraged to register for school and talk with the school specifically about the needs of the student and what the school’s plans are.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6