Frequently Asked Questions
After speaking with families on the phone last week, there were some good questions that came up thought I thought I'd share in case others have those questions too.
1. What if I can’t find a school supply item from the list?
Send the items that you do have and keep checking stores for the item. Send it once you’re able to. For some supplies we may not use them right away. We also may have extra supplies at school to use if needed.
2. Can only 1 parent come to school on the first day?
Chinook guidelines have recommended that when conducting specially approved in-person family events in kindergarten, that only 1 parent attend. You are welcome to take lots of photos or videos of your child when you first drop them off at school that you can then share with other family members. You may also be able to have a Facetime video call running with another family member while you drop your child off so other family members can be there “virtually.” Please keep in mind other children’s privacy rights and do not include them in your photos/videos.
3. Why aren’t we changing shoes when we come inside?
Typically, at Central School our shoe changing policy is in effect from Oct. 1st to May 1st. In kindergarten, we usually start changing shoes right away in September just to help get into the routine right off the start. However due to trying to manage large numbers of students moving through the hallways at entry and dismissal times throughout the day, and due to the boot rooms being closed, all students have been asked not to change shoes at this time. This policy will be reviewed in a couple of weeks and I will let you know if it changes. Please keep indoor shoes at home for now as there is no where to keep them at school.
4. What do I do with my water bottle?
We are so grateful for the parents and community members that donated the Tupperware water bottles to our kindergarten class. Coincidentally, they even matched the colours of our pod groups! Your child will bring their water bottle home on their first day of school. Please clean it and then on their next school day, ensure it is filled with water and send it to school with your child. If your child ever forgets to bring it to school, we have extra clean water bottles they can use for that school day. You may choose not to use your Tupperware water bottle, and send a different one instead. We have put your child’s initials on the bottom of the water bottle and a name on the top, however you may wish to add a sticker or decal or something to help individualize it and prevent mix-ups. We will practice water bottle hygiene at school, including making sure that students have the correct water bottle before they take a drink. You are welcome to send a different water bottle, however please consider not sending metal or glass bottles, and ensure that the top of the bottle is covered to prevent germs from landing on the mouth part.
1. What if I can’t find a school supply item from the list?
Send the items that you do have and keep checking stores for the item. Send it once you’re able to. For some supplies we may not use them right away. We also may have extra supplies at school to use if needed.
2. Can only 1 parent come to school on the first day?
Chinook guidelines have recommended that when conducting specially approved in-person family events in kindergarten, that only 1 parent attend. You are welcome to take lots of photos or videos of your child when you first drop them off at school that you can then share with other family members. You may also be able to have a Facetime video call running with another family member while you drop your child off so other family members can be there “virtually.” Please keep in mind other children’s privacy rights and do not include them in your photos/videos.
3. Why aren’t we changing shoes when we come inside?
Typically, at Central School our shoe changing policy is in effect from Oct. 1st to May 1st. In kindergarten, we usually start changing shoes right away in September just to help get into the routine right off the start. However due to trying to manage large numbers of students moving through the hallways at entry and dismissal times throughout the day, and due to the boot rooms being closed, all students have been asked not to change shoes at this time. This policy will be reviewed in a couple of weeks and I will let you know if it changes. Please keep indoor shoes at home for now as there is no where to keep them at school.
4. What do I do with my water bottle?
We are so grateful for the parents and community members that donated the Tupperware water bottles to our kindergarten class. Coincidentally, they even matched the colours of our pod groups! Your child will bring their water bottle home on their first day of school. Please clean it and then on their next school day, ensure it is filled with water and send it to school with your child. If your child ever forgets to bring it to school, we have extra clean water bottles they can use for that school day. You may choose not to use your Tupperware water bottle, and send a different one instead. We have put your child’s initials on the bottom of the water bottle and a name on the top, however you may wish to add a sticker or decal or something to help individualize it and prevent mix-ups. We will practice water bottle hygiene at school, including making sure that students have the correct water bottle before they take a drink. You are welcome to send a different water bottle, however please consider not sending metal or glass bottles, and ensure that the top of the bottle is covered to prevent germs from landing on the mouth part.
5. Does my child need to wear a mask?
All students taking the bus need to wear a mask. They will keep their mask on while walking from the bus to the classroom but can remove it once in the classroom. At the end of the day, bus students will put their mask on inside the classroom, wear it while walking out to the bus line, keep in on while waiting for the bus, and wear it until they exit the bus. Within our classroom during the day, students are not required to wear a mask. Each student has been provided with 2 masks and there may be times throughout the day when they are asked to wear them for short periods of time such as when singing songs. Masks will be sent home for washing. I will always keep one mask at school to ensure they have one if needed. You may also wish to send a different mask from home. Students will be provided with a paper bag for storing their mask, but you are also welcome to send other forms of containers for mask storage.
All students taking the bus need to wear a mask. They will keep their mask on while walking from the bus to the classroom but can remove it once in the classroom. At the end of the day, bus students will put their mask on inside the classroom, wear it while walking out to the bus line, keep in on while waiting for the bus, and wear it until they exit the bus. Within our classroom during the day, students are not required to wear a mask. Each student has been provided with 2 masks and there may be times throughout the day when they are asked to wear them for short periods of time such as when singing songs. Masks will be sent home for washing. I will always keep one mask at school to ensure they have one if needed. You may also wish to send a different mask from home. Students will be provided with a paper bag for storing their mask, but you are also welcome to send other forms of containers for mask storage.
6. What if my child is going to be absent from school?
When your child isn’t able to come to school for any reason, please call the main office 778-9255 and let Mrs. Kinney know. She is in the office beginning at 8am Mon.-Fri. Please be prepared to give details about why your child is absent. You may be directed to call 811 or to see your family doctor. Please be honest with us, as being sick is nothing to be ashamed of and we can only keep our school healthy when we work together.
7. What if my child gets sick at school?
Just as in previous years, we will call the primary contact to come and pick-up the student. If we cannot get a hold of the primary contact, we do call other contacts that you provided at the time of registering, so please ensure that those contacts are still up-to-date. Your child will have their things packed up and be cared for until someone is able to come and get them. You may be directed to call 811 or see your family doctor. Sick students are not sent on the bus.
8. Can parents come into the school?
We work hard to build a strong partnership with our parents and local community. We want this partnership to continue this year, but there are different parameters we need to follow. While students are in the school, we need to limit the amount of external visitors entering our building. During school hours, parents are encouraged not to come into the building, and can instead use alternatives such as leaving items in a drop-off bin and calling the office. After school, parents may come into the building if they have made an appointment with their child’s teacher or with office personnel. Some family events may run virtually this year so families can still participate.
9. Will restrictions ease as the year goes on?
This pandemic has been a very evolving situation over the past few months. It will most likely continue to change throughout the school year. As it changes, Chinook School Division will work with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and all other relevant groups to ensure that our school is still implementing the best recommendations. This may mean that the current practices stay in place, it could mean they are strengthened, or are eased. We will all need to continue to be patient and flexible. Central School will keep you informed of the latest guidelines.
10. What precautions are being done in the classroom to limit close contact and the spread of germs?
In addition to the enhanced cleaning and the guidelines that the entire school will be following, I've included some extra measures to help keep our kinder-cougars safe! The classroom is divided into colour pods with 3-4 students in each pod. These pods of students will do most of the daily tasks and activities together. If students are coming into the room healthy, and sanitizing hands prior to entering, we should have reduced germs coming into our bubbles. We will spend a lot of time at the start of the year talking about proper hygiene such as washing hands, coughing/sneezing into elbows, not sharing items, keeping fingers out of noses and mouths, and not touching other people or their belongings. Within our colour pods, students have been assigned a number, so their belongings always stay in that number's area. Individual baskets to contain personal supplies have been provided. We also go to our lockers and line-up by colour group and numbers.
When your child isn’t able to come to school for any reason, please call the main office 778-9255 and let Mrs. Kinney know. She is in the office beginning at 8am Mon.-Fri. Please be prepared to give details about why your child is absent. You may be directed to call 811 or to see your family doctor. Please be honest with us, as being sick is nothing to be ashamed of and we can only keep our school healthy when we work together.
7. What if my child gets sick at school?
Just as in previous years, we will call the primary contact to come and pick-up the student. If we cannot get a hold of the primary contact, we do call other contacts that you provided at the time of registering, so please ensure that those contacts are still up-to-date. Your child will have their things packed up and be cared for until someone is able to come and get them. You may be directed to call 811 or see your family doctor. Sick students are not sent on the bus.
8. Can parents come into the school?
We work hard to build a strong partnership with our parents and local community. We want this partnership to continue this year, but there are different parameters we need to follow. While students are in the school, we need to limit the amount of external visitors entering our building. During school hours, parents are encouraged not to come into the building, and can instead use alternatives such as leaving items in a drop-off bin and calling the office. After school, parents may come into the building if they have made an appointment with their child’s teacher or with office personnel. Some family events may run virtually this year so families can still participate.
9. Will restrictions ease as the year goes on?
This pandemic has been a very evolving situation over the past few months. It will most likely continue to change throughout the school year. As it changes, Chinook School Division will work with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and all other relevant groups to ensure that our school is still implementing the best recommendations. This may mean that the current practices stay in place, it could mean they are strengthened, or are eased. We will all need to continue to be patient and flexible. Central School will keep you informed of the latest guidelines.
10. What precautions are being done in the classroom to limit close contact and the spread of germs?
In addition to the enhanced cleaning and the guidelines that the entire school will be following, I've included some extra measures to help keep our kinder-cougars safe! The classroom is divided into colour pods with 3-4 students in each pod. These pods of students will do most of the daily tasks and activities together. If students are coming into the room healthy, and sanitizing hands prior to entering, we should have reduced germs coming into our bubbles. We will spend a lot of time at the start of the year talking about proper hygiene such as washing hands, coughing/sneezing into elbows, not sharing items, keeping fingers out of noses and mouths, and not touching other people or their belongings. Within our colour pods, students have been assigned a number, so their belongings always stay in that number's area. Individual baskets to contain personal supplies have been provided. We also go to our lockers and line-up by colour group and numbers.