From the HRCE:

Earlier this week, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer said Canadian schools have a critical role to play in slowing the potential spread of COVID-19.

While the risk of COVID-19 remains low in Nova Scotia, the international situation is rapidly evolving. Our Senior Staff team has been taking a number of strategic measures, including a recent update to our system pandemic plan. This plan outlines how to best support schools under a variety of emergency scenarios that may arise.

Health officials tell us that frequent hand washing with soap and warm water remains the best defense against the spread of respiratory illnesses. This is a call to action for us all.

Student health, your health and my health depend on us working together to keep 60,000 pairs of hands clean.

Here’s what you can do to help:

·         Do something each day to remind everyone in the building to wash their hands (i.e. daily announcements, class reminders, conversation). A Proper Hand Washing guide from Public Health is attached for your reference.

·         Model, encourage and reinforce good hygiene (i.e. hand washing, coughing/sneezing into your sleeve or a tissue, not sharing food/drink, utensils).

·         Allow time for students to wash their hands, especially before break and lunch.

Here’s what we are doing to help:

·         Our caretaking/custodial team is focused on disinfecting high-touch surfaces including washrooms, doorknobs, handrails and desktops.

·         Schools will receive an enhanced cleaning during March Break.

·         Hand sanitizer and pumps are on the way.

·         You can count on us to keep you in the loop.

·         Stock Transportation is disinfecting high-touch surfaces on their buses between and after all morning and afternoon routes.

We will share the Proper Hand Washing guide with families. We will be asking them to explain and practice proper hand washing at home.

For the latest information on COVID-19, please visit

·         https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html

www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html

novascotia.ca/coronavirus/

Links to both pages can also be found on the HRCE website.

Thank you for your care and attention. Keeping 60,000 pairs of hands clean is a big job. It starts with us all rolling up our sleeves!

Elwin