British Columbia |
B.C.s Back to School Plan |
Learning Group Size
- Elementary: 60
- Middle: 60
- Secondary: 120
- Mandatory masks for all staff and middle and secondary school students in all indoor areas, including in learning groups
- Only exceptions are when eating/drinking, there’s a barrier in place, or they’re at their seat/workstation in a classroom
- Minimizing physical contact and reduce shared items
- Physical distancing (barriers in high traffic areas where distancing can’t be maintained, stagger break times, avoid seating arrangements where students face each other)
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Continuation of online/remote learning opportunities to supplement in-school instruction
K-7 students must take a full course load at one school, while students in grades 8-12 can enroll in courses in multiple distributed learning schools at once. |
$45.6 million in provincial funding (Government of British Columbia)
Maximum of additional $242.36 million to be allocated (Canada.ca) |
Alberta |
K to 12 learning during COVID-19
2020-21 School Re-entry plan (for all scenarios)
COVID-19 School Status Map |
Mandatory daily checklist before students attend school or childcare (Alberta Daily Health Checklist)
- Mandatory masks for all staff, teachers and students in Grades 4-12 outside of the classroom where physical distancing is not possible, optional masks for K-3
- Reorganize rooms for more physical space
- Cohorting students
- Signage to guide foot traffic
- Avoiding large gatherings
- Sharing to be avoided, sanitization of equipment between uses if sharing required
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As of January 11th, in-person learning resumed. |
additional funding for purchasing 2 masks for all staff and students (CBC)
Maximum of $262.84 million in federal funding (Government of Canada) |
Saskatchewan |
Saskatchewan Safe Schools Plan
(Government of Saskatchewan)
Safe schools plan: Level 2 Guidance (additional guidance from Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer) |
- Modifying room configurations
- Staggered recess, lunch, and school entry/exit
- Controlled flow of students and staff via signage
- Limiting shared materials and school equipment
- Cohorting students (in elementary cohort = the classroom)
- Front-facing instruction
- Masks required for all staff, visitors, and students aged three and up except when they are eating or drinking (Safe Schools Plan)
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School divisions may choose the scenario most appropriate for their location and facilities from Level 2-4 (mask use is required)
- K-8 students attend 5 days of full, in-class instruction per week
9-12 students are in-class up to 5 days per week (depends on the ability of the high school to maintain physical distancing) (edu.gov.mb.ca) |
$40 million in additional funding for PPE, learning supports, and other pandemic-related costs. In addition, school divisions have access to $40 million in savings from March-June that can be used towards one-time pandemic-related costs. (Government of Saskatchewan)
$74.90 million in federal funding (Government of Canada) |
Manitoba |
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Currently schools are operating under restricted level (Orange) (Minister of Education’s Letter)
- Sports suspended, field trips cancelled, no indoor choir or use of wind instruments (Learn more here)
Existing measures:
- Flow of students controlled via signage and one-way hallways
- Cohorting students (max 75 students)
- Use of additional space if necessary
- 2 metres physical distancing required, where possible
- Staggered lunch and recess
- No assemblies or gatherings that exceed public health advice
- Outdoor activities encouraged
- Masks required in school for grades 4-12, staff, and visitors where physical distancing is not possible
- Younger students may wear masks
- Masks required on buses
- High school: Some learning may be from home if cohorting/physical distancing is a challenge
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3 scenarios:
- Level 1: In-class learning
- Level 2: Blended learning
- Level 3: Remote learning
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$100 million in Safe Schools funding from the Government of Manitoba
$85.41 million in federal funding (Government of Canada)
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Ontario |
Ontario.ca “Covid 19 Reopening Schools“
Update from Chief Medical Officer of Health
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- Masks required for 1-12 indoors, in transportation, and outdoors where physical distancing not possible
- Masks encouraged but not required for kindergarten
- Advanced screening protocols and signs to reinforce self-screening
- Changes to how people enter and exit school and how children use playgrounds
Ontario launches online tracker: “COVID-19 cases in schools and child care centres“. Data is updated at 10:30am Eastern on weekdays. |
- In-person learning resumed in 7 public health regions
- Schools in all other regions will continue remote learning
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Up to 1.3 billion in supports for education sector (Ontario.ca)
Additional $35 million for schools in prioity areas (Ontario Newsroom)
Maximum of additional $763.34 million to be allocated (Canada.ca) |
Québec |
Safety measures for workers and students in preschool, elementary and secondary schools during COVID-19
Organization of educational Activities in 2020-2021 (COVID-19) |
Elementary:
- Students in class with set educator/teacher-student ratios, and stable class groups
General:
- Teachers will move between classrooms baseed onthe subject being taught, and students will remain in the same classroom
- Masks: mandatory for grades 5 and up in common areas and around students from other groups
- Recommended but not required for preschool to Elementary 4
- Required for K-12 in red zones
- Maintain two metres between the various subgroups of students and between students and staff
- No face-to-face extracurricular activities
Secondary:
- All subjects will be taught within the same group of students
- Schools may have students in 4e and 5e years use a work-study option if physical distancing cannot be maintained
For schools in “Red” zones (Government of Quebec):
- No extra-curriculars
- No school trips
- Minimal school visitors
Secondary:
- Masks required at all times, even within cohorted group
- Students in 3e, 4e and 5e years will attend school on alternate days
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In red and orange zones, alternating in-person and online schedule required for students in Secondary III, IV, and V
Elementary and younger students are expected to attend class in-person
Secondary I, II students attend school in person.
Secondary IV, V school boards may opt for alternative delivery if course schedule cannot be reorganized to maintain stable student groups.
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Maximum of additional $432.15 million to be allocated (Canada.ca) |
New Brunswick |
Return to School: Guide for parents and the public
Return to School: September 2020 plan
Letter to parents and guardians |
- Exact guidelines may vary depending on school zone (see updates at www2.gnb.ca)
- Zone 4 (Edmonton region) is at Red level; other 6 zones are at Orange level
- Class sizes:
- K-2: as close to 15 students as possible
- Grade 3-5: reduced group sizes where possible
- Grade 6-8: regular class size
- Physical distancing not required within classroom bubble (K-8); one metre distancing within classrooms for 9-12
- Minimum 2 metres distancing outside of the classroom (when around other groups/classes)
- Masks
- K-5: encouraged to wear masks outside of class
- Grades 6-12: masks outside of class
- K-8 teachers can choose whether to wear a mask if they stay in classroom bubble. 9-12 teachers will wear mask or face shield when they cannot be physically distant (GNB.ca)
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- Students in K-8 will attend school in-person
- 9-12 will attend school in-person at least every other day
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Maximum of additional $39.79 million to be allocated (Canada.ca) |
Prince Edward Island |
Welcome back to school plan (Government of PEI)
Back to School website |
- Cohorting students
- Smaller classes (where possible)
- Reconfiguring classrooms to encourage physical distancing
- Signage guiding foot traffic
- Staggered school entry and exit times
- Scheduled lunch/recess breaks
- Limited number of school visitors
- K-6: Masks suggested but not mandatory, Grades 7-12: Masks required indoors except when in a classroom and able to maintain 2 metre distance
- 2020-21 School year has revised curriculum to account for reduced learning (See curriculum changes here)
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- In-class learning with detailed precautionary measures in place
- In-class learning with additional public health measures
Back-up plans:
- At home learning with limited use of school facilities
- At home learning with no access to school facilities
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$2 million from COVID-19 contingency funding for hiring approx. 200 school staff (teachers, bus drivers, cleaners, EAs, admin support)
The Chronicle Herald)
$10.39 million in federal funding (Government of Canada) |
Nova Scotia |
Nova Scotia’s Back to School Plan (Government of Nova Scotia) |
General:
- School spaces reorganized to limit unnecessary physical contact
- No large gatherings in schools
- Age-appropriate direction signage
- Masks required for grades 4-12 unless seated at desk which is separated from others by 2 metres, eating/drinking, or participating in a physical activity where a mask can’t be worn
- Masks required on the school bus
Pre-K:
- Class size: 20 students with 2 staff OR 24 students with 3 staff
- Encouraged to spend at least 40% of learning outdoors
K-12:
- Cohorting
- Encouraged to hold class outside when possible
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Contingency plans include:
- Partial or blended response: K-8 students in-class, secondary students primarily remote
- At-home learning: real-time, video, and self-directed learning
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$40 million to make schools safer
- $29 million for substitute teachers (with dropped B.Ed requirement)
- $8.7 million for custodial staff
- $1.4 million to extend the hours of pre-primary teachers for cleaning
- $1.2 million for lunch monitors.
- $500,000 for school supplies
(CBC)
$47.88 million in federal funding (Government of Canada) |
Newfoundland & Labrador |
Updated measures for safe return to school announced on Nov 2, 2020
Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools
Government guidance documents/plans for September reopening |
- Masks:
- For grades 7-12, required in class if 1 metre not possible between desks
- For K-6, masks required until seated in classroom for students who take the bus
- Daily school routine should not be disrupted to accommodate smaller classes for physical distancing
- Physical distancing should be reinforced if there is an increase of COVID-19 in communities
- Students cohorted by class, where possible
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Three scenarios for 2020/2021, depending on public health authority recommendations:
- In-person classes resume, with virtual schooling options where needed
- Partial in-person classes (minimum 30-50%)
- Entirely at-home/distance learning
Students who cannot attend in person must provide medical documentation (Updated measures for safe return) |
20 million dollars for technology to support digital learning (gov.nl.ca)
Maximum of additional $26.18 million to be allocated (Canada.ca) |
Yukon |
Yukon government document “Planning for the 2020-21 school year”
Rather than an overall approach, each school has its own operational plan
Yukon Guidance for K-12 School Settings |
The operational plan of each school must be followed.
Students and staff will need to practice physical distancing in schools.
- Students must maintain 2 metres physical distancing in all common spaces
- Classrooms should be organized into smaller groups that should not mix
- Flow of people in common areas should be managed
- Physical contact to be avoided
Masks:
- Students aged 10 and older are required to wear non-medical masks in all indoor settings except the classroom
- Students aged 5 and up must wear a mask on the bus; students aged 4 who take the bus are encouraged to wear masks
- Students aged 9 and under: mask use is optional
Masks required in classroom if students cannot maintain 1 metre distance (yukon.ca) |
The operational plan of each school must be followed.
At rural and Whitehorse schools:
- In rural communities, K- 12 returns to full-day, in-class instruction 5 days/week
- In Whitehorse, K-9 returns to full-day, in-class instruction 5 days/wk.
- Grade 10-12 does ½ day in-class, ½ day at home 5 days/wk
Resource Programs for students with disabilities, transitions programs and other programs for students needing additional support will continue at school all day every day. |
The Government of Yukon announced that families with children in Kindergarten to Grade 12 are eligible for $250 per student if they have been impacted by COVID-19. (McCarthy)
Maximum of additional $4.16 million to be allocated (Canada.ca) |
Northwest Territories |
JK-12 School Information
Reopening NWT Schools Wisely
Reopening schools safely: 2020-2021 COVID-19 school planning factsheet |
In 2020-2021, all schools will have: (Gov NT)
- Physical distancing for Grades 7-12
- Altered routines and schedules for movement through into, and out of the school
- Spacing of desks and other furniture
- Extra activities outdoors, when possible
- No assemblies and limits on other gatherings
- Use of face shields and masks by staff and students on the school bus and in school when needed
- Limited access to parents, guardians and visitors
- New daily screening process for students and staff
- Stricter personal and school cleaning processes
- No sharing of food or personal items
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JK-Grade 6
- Full-time in-person
- No distancing inside classroom ‘bubble’
Grades 7-9
- Full-time in-person or blended when necessary
Grades 10-12
- Full-time in-person or blended when necessary
Students aged 19+
- Students aged 19+ must learn remotely
(Gov NT) |
Total of 12.371 million dollars (nt.ca)
Of this, 4.85 million from the Government of Canada (Canada.ca) |
Nunavut |
The 2020-21 Opening Plan for Nunavut Schools: Health and Safety (Government of Nunavut) |
Stage 2 schools:
- Enhanced cleaning, physical distancing at discretion of CPHO
- Limited group activities
- No sharing food
- Staggered bus schedule
Stage 3 schools (Whale Cove):
- Enhanced cleaning, physical distancing at discretion of CPHO
- No group activities
- No eating in common areas
- Staggered bus schedules
Stage 4 schools (Arviat)
- Complete closure of in-school and land-based learning environments
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As of January 25th, 2021, all schools under Stage 2 except Whale Cove (Stage 3) and Arviat (Stage 4)
- Whale Cove: blend of online and in-person learning (3 days/week for Elementary, 2 days/week for middle and high schools)
- Arviat schools will remain closed until further notice, with all instruction conducted remotely
4 scenarios:
Stage 1: Least restrictive learning environment (No COVID-19 in the community)
Stage 2: Increased restrictions on school environments
Stage 3: Recovery-based restrictions to in-school learning environments
Stage 4: Complete closure of in-school and land-based learning environments |
$5.75 million in federal funding (Government of Canada) |