COVID-19 Resources for Educators

Screening 

Daily screening for students, staff, and visitors before leaving for school or work remains in place. Students and staff must self-screen every day before attending school or work. Daily on-site confirmation of screening for all students and staff will no longer be required. 

• COVID-19 screening tool for students and children in school and child care screening (français) -  Ontario Ministry of Health
• COVID-19 screening tool for schools and child care settings (français) (PDF) - Ontario Ministry of Health 
• COVID-19 screening tool for schools and child care settings - (PDF) KFL&A Public Health 

Masking and staff personal protective equipment 

Eye protection for staff is no longer required.

• Masks are no longer required for students, staff, and visitors in schools and on school transportation.
• Many students and staff may choose to continue to wear masks at times, or consistently for the remainder of the school year. It’s important to support every student’s (and family’s) decision around masking. Respecting others’ decisions and modeling empathy will help create environments in which all students feel safe.

When masking is required:

• Under federal travel requirements, upon return from international travel, individuals must wear a mask at all times when in public spaces (including schools and childcare) for 14 days.
• Individuals who are age 11 or younger or fully vaccinated, who tested positive or had symptoms of COVID-19, can return to school or work after their 5 days of isolation if symptoms are improving. They must, however, wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools and childcare) and avoid activities where they would need to take off their mask (for example, playing a wind instrument or removing their mask for sports) until 10 days after their symptoms started or from their positive test date.
• Individuals who are a close contact of a case of COVID-19 or a symptomatic individual who are not required to isolate, must wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings (including schools and childcare) for 10 days from their last exposure to the person with COVID-19 symptoms or positive test result (or from when the symptomatic or positive person finishes their isolation).
  • Please note that exposures within the school setting are no longer included in the definition of a close contact. 

If you are required or choose to wear a face covering:

• How to safely wear a face covering (PDF) - KFL&A Public Health

Cohorting and distancing 

Cohorting and distancing will no longer be required in schools or on student transportation. Elementary students can play and learn together across cohorts, classes and grades, both indoors and outdoors and during lunch and recess.

Shared spaces such as libraries can be fully utilized without distancing and programs across grades, such as reading buddies, can return.

Limitations on in-person gatherings and assemblies will be removed. 

Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette 

Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfecting 

Schools and school vehicles are encouraged to continue with enhanced cleaning protocols.

High-touch surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected twice during the day. At a minimum, at the end of each day and when visibly dirty. Examples of frequently touched surfaces include doorknobs, handles, locks, light switches, phones, individual desk surfaces, touch screen surfaces, faucets, sinks, and toilet handles.

• Cleaning and disinfection for public settings (PDF) - Public Health Ontario

Vaccination

Screening tools 

• COVID-19 screening tool for students and children in school and child care screening (français) -  Ontario Ministry of Health
• COVID-19 screening tool for schools and child care settings (français) (PDF) - Ontario Ministry of Health 
• COVID-19 screening tool for schools and child care settings - (PDF) KFL&A Public Health 

School and Child Care Protocols for Children, Student, or Staff with Symptoms of COVID-19 

The updated school health and safety guidance indicates that schools should continue to have protocols in place to manage ill individuals while at school.

• School and Child Care Protocols for Children, Student, or Staff with Symptoms of COVID-19 (PDF) (français) - KFL&A Public Health

 Instructions for families and care givers of students with symptoms of COVID-19

If a student develops symptoms of COVID-19 at school, they will be sent home with the following instructions:

• Student with Symptoms of COVID-19 Letter - English - (PDF) KFL&A Public Health
• Student with Symptoms of COVID-19 Letter - French - (PDF) KFL&A Public Health

Return to school or child care protocols when isolation is required due to symptoms of COVID-19 

• Return to School or Child Care Protocols When Isolation is Required Because of Symptoms (PDF) (français) - KFL&A Public Health

Supporting students' mental health 

• Start well (PDF) -  School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) - Help minimize the impact of stressors your students may feel as they return to school after March Break. This comprehensive resource offers five days of ready to use activities to connect, calm and begin your day.
• Everyday Mental Health Practices - Secondary (PDF) - SMHO - More than 50 mental health practices for secondary learning environments. Includes new resources to support student mental health and well-being as they return from March break
• New Beginnings: Support for the Mental health of Young Learners During COVID-19 (PDF) - SMHO

Handwashing videos and resources

Lesson plans

• Scrub Those Bugs Handwashing Resource Kit - Kindergarten to Grade 3 - PDF
• Scrub Those Bugs Handwashing Resource Kit - Grade 4 to 6 - PDF
• Scrub Those Bugs Handwashing Resource Kit - Grade 7 to 8 - PDF

Videos

Kindergarten or Primary

Sesame Street: Washy Wash Song | How to Wash Your Hands – Sesame Street

• Length of video: 30 seconds
• Very catchy tune
• Teaches children how to wash their hands with soap and water “wash your hands for 20 seconds like Elmo” and to dry their hands with a towel.

Wash Your Hands with baby Shark 

• Length of video: 1 min 30 sec
• Teaches children how to wash their hands with soap and water, also highlights covering your sneeze and cough and staying healthy.

Primary or Junior

20 Second Hand Washing - The Science behind it and why it WORKS! – Kid Explorer

• Length of video: 2min 15 seconds
• Highlights the 20 second hand washing rule
• Teaches children why and how hand washing works, and the importance of washing your hands for the full 20 seconds.

Junior and intermediate

How does soap work to fight coronavirus? Why wash your hands for 20 seconds? – CBS 8 San Diego

• Length of video: 1 min 24 seconds
• Talks about the molecules that make up soap (lipid loving side; water loving and fat loving side)

Secondary students and Adults

Which is better: Soap or hand sanitizer? - Alex Rosenthal and Pall Thordarson – TED-Ed

• Length of video: 6 min 15 seconds
• Talks about how soap and hand sanitizer kill the virus