Operations at Seven Summits of Learning in Rossland went smoothly during the first week of school, even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
School administrator Tanis Shippy said Grade 8 and 9 students, Grade 10 students and Grade 11 and 12 students have all been placed in different areas of the school to mitigate the threat of COVID-19.
Shippy also outlined a number of other safety protocols that students and school staff have taken to ensure a safe learning environment for everyone.
“Firstly, we’re requiring parents to monitor their children’s health before they leave for school each day,” said Shippy.
“Making people wear masks in high-flowing areas, placing directional arrows to help people enter and exit the school and putting plexiglass barriers up for one-on-one instruction with students are other precautions we’ve taken.”
Students have also been asked to wear masks in smaller classrooms where physical distancing isn’t possible, according to Shippy.
If a COVID-19 outbreak were to hit the school, Shippy said staff would work closely with Interior Health and the B.C. Ministry of Education to address the problem. Having clear communication between school staff and students/parents about the outbreak would also be a top priority.
Small class sizes are helping the school to navigate through the crisis. Since the school only has 40 students, staff have had more time to talk to students about following the safety protocols.
Shippy hopes the rest of the school year will go as smoothly as the first week of school.
“Everyone was just super respectful of our COVID-19 protocols. The students also exceeded our expectations around being focused and being present, especially given the fact that they haven’t been in a classroom environment for about six months,” said Shippy.
“The classroom environment still felt normal in spite of all the COVID-19 protocols that have been in place.”
Parents still have time to register their children at the school for the fall semester.
READ MORE: Stacked Films finishes video for Rossland Seven Summits grads
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