COVID-19 Resources for Schools and Child Care Centres

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Resources for Parents and Caregivers

School will be different this year due to COVID-19 and many of these changes will be new, potentially confusing or frustrating, and challenging for many families. It’s okay to be scared. That’s normal - but we want you to know that we are working very closely with the school boards in our region to ensure it’s as safe as possible. Whether your child is returning to the physical classroom this September or learning remotely, here are some ideas on how to prepare your family.

Back to School Plans

For provincial information about reopening schools, please visit the Government of Ontario’s web page COVID-19: reopening schools and its Guide to reopening Ontario’s schools.

Operational guidance: COVID-19 management in schools

To find out what will happen if there is a coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak at a school, please visit the the Government of Ontario’s Operational guidance: COVID-19 management in schools.

For local back-to-school plans, please check your school board’s website:

Thames Valley District School Board
London District Catholic School Board
Conseil scolaire Viamonde
Conseil scolaire catholique Providence
Private School Back to School Guidance
- Letter to Private School Families
- Handout: Information for Parents and Guardians of School Aged Children

School transportation (bussing)

Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services
For information on school transportation (bussing), please read the Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services’ plan, Ready to Roll: A roadmap for safely returning students to school by bus.

Francobus
For information on school transportation for French Catholic Schools Boards, please refer to the Francobus website.

Can my child go to school?

Use the COVID-19 School Screening tool and refer to the COVID-19 Decision Tool for Parents and Caregivers to help you determine if and when your child can go to school. For help filling out the COVID-19 School Screening Tool, view our demonstration videos:

Review the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

Preparing for School

The routines your child may have developed since schools closed in March and then over summer vacation may be different from what will be needed for the return to school. Help get them ready for school by talking about what their new routines will look like and practice them before school begins.¹ ²

Changes to their routine may include:

a different bedtime and time to wake up
packing a lunch and reusable water bottle
packing their mask/face covering
doing the screening process before going to school
putting their reusable mask or face covering in the laundry as soon as they get home
logging into their computer at a certain time to participate in online learning or setting aside designated time to do independent school work during the day (if learning remotely)

For high school students who will need to balance remote and in-person learning, discuss the importance of routines and going to bed and getting up at the same time during the week, regardless of whether they are in school or learning from home that day.³

Focus on the Positive

While it’s important to talk with your children about COVID-19 and discuss their concerns and any questions they may have, you can also help them prepare for school by focussing on the positive and fun things about schools.⁴

Picking out school supplies and clothes
Seeing old friends and making new ones (either virtually or in-person)
Learning new things
Seeing their teachers

For more information on how to talk to your children about COVID-19, check out these resources:

Children’s Mental Health Ontario - COVID-19 Resources
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health - How Do I Talk To My Children About COVID-19 and Its Impact?
Canadian Paediatric Society - COVID-19 and Your Child
Anxiety Canada - Talking to Kids About COVID-19

Develop New Habits

Hand hygiene

Washing hands or using hand sanitizer frequently is a key public health practice for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Help your child learn and practice how to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer properly. Be a good role model - demonstrate this routine yourself and remind your child to wash their hands when needed.

Watch a video together with your child to help them learn:

Hand-washing Heroes Video (for younger children)
Wash your hands, Brother John! (for younger children)
Wash Those Mitts (for younger children)
Reduce the Spread of COVID-19: Wash Your Hands (for older children)

How to cough and sneeze safely

COVID-19 is spread when droplets from an infected person are released by coughing or sneezing and then breathed in by another person who is nearby. It’s therefore important for everyone to practice good respiratory etiquette.

Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or elbow
If available, sneeze into a tissue and promptly throw the tissue into the garbage
Always wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after coughing and sneezing
Teach your child what to do and set a good example

Reduce the Spread of COVID-19: Hygiene for Kids Video

Wearing a mask

The Government of Ontario has made wearing a non-medical mask or face covering mandatory for children in grades 4 and up while in the school building and on the school bus. Some school boards in our region, including the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board, have also made it mandatory for children in kindergarten to grade 3 to wear a mask or face covering. For more information, please check with your school board.

Wearing a mask can be a new experience for children and getting used to wearing one can take some practice. Before school starts, make sure your child knows how to properly put the mask on, wear it, remove it, and store it as well as when to discard or replace it.

Learn how to properly wear a mask:

Watch our video on how to safely wear and remove a non-medical mask
Learn more about how to properly wear, clean and dispose of face coverings
Use of Non-Medical (Cloth) Masks Infographic

Tips for making masks a habit ⁵ ⁶ ⁷

For younger, school-aged children, use play to normalize wearing masks.
Practice putting masks on toys
Put a mask on yourself or get siblings and relatives to wear them
- Do fun activities with masks on
- Show pictures or videos of other kids wearing masks
- Look in the mirror together when putting masks on
- Consider getting masks in fun fabrics your child will enjoy

Start with wearing a mask for a few minutes then increase the amount of time each day.
Try to mimic what they will need to do in school for snacks and lunch. Practice removing the mask, placing it in a container or paper bag, have a snack or drink, and then put the mask back on. Pick it up by the ear loops without touching the fabric of the mask.
Talk with your child about how they feel wearing a mask and look for ways to make them feel more comfortable.
Emphasize that the child should never share their mask with others or put on another child’s mask. Encourage them to touch their mask while it is on as little as possible and to wash their hands when they do.

Minimize Physical Contact

An important practice for reducing the spread of COVID-19 is to maintain physical distance as much as possible. Talk to your child about what it means to keep physical distance from others.

Provide them with examples they will understand for what 2 metres apart looks like:

A couch with three cushions
The length of a bed
A pool noodle
An adult hockey stick

For younger school-aged children, help them reduce the amount of physical assistance they may require from their teacher.

Make sure your child can open their own food containers, packages and drinks. Practice with lunches and snacks before school starts.
Make sure your child can take off and put on their outerwear such as coats and boots.

Talk About It

Talk with your child about the new health measures they can expect at school and explain why they are important to follow. Encourage your child to ask questions.⁸ New health measures and changes at school may include:

Wearing a mask/face covering
Washing or sanitizing hands at certain times throughout the day
Keeping physically distant from others
Following signs (e.g. where to stand to maintain 2 metres, direction of flow in the hallways, which doors to use)
Not sharing personal items with other students
Telling their teacher or another staff member if they are not feeling well

Talk with your child about their cohort (the group of students and staff who remain together each day), the changes it will cause, and why it is important for them to stay with their cohort

It may mean your child won’t see all of their friends as much as they used to
Lunch/nutrition breaks and recess may be different than last school year
It is important for your child to stay in their cohort to make it easier and quicker for public health to track and trace contacts when there is a suspected case of COVID-19

Here are some additional resources to use when talking to your child about the pandemic:

“My name is Coronavirus” a book to support and reassure children
Talking to Children About the Pandemic

If your child is getting a COVID-19 test, you may find it helpful to view this video together on supporting your child during COVID-19 nasal swab testing.

Daily Checklists for Going to School In-Person

Daily COVID checklist for elementary school students Daily COVID checklist for secondary school students

Elementary School Checklist

Before school, screen your child for symptoms of COVID-19. Keep your child home if they are unwell.
Label all items you pack in their school bag.
Pack a reusable water bottle, sun protection, lunch bag, and extra clothing.
Pack a balanced, litter-less lunch in amounts your child will eat. Use containers your child can open on their own.
Pack an extra mask/face covering in a clean, labeled, and sealed container or bag that your child can open.
Pack a bag or sealable container for your child to store any wet or soiled reusable masks/face coverings throughout the day for bringing home to wash.
Hand hygiene products (e.g. sanitizer and soap) will be available at school.
Be a role model and practice physical distancing at all designated drop off and pick up zones.
Make sure your child’s mask/face covering is in place before getting to the bus stop and teach your child to keep their mask/face covering on and sit in their assigned seat.
Put any reusable masks/face coverings into the laundry as soon as your child gets home and wash the masks and storage containers before using them again.

Secondary School Checklist

Before school, screen yourself for COVID-19 symptoms.
Pack only what you need and can carry with you in your backpack.
Bring your mask/face covering and pack an extra one in a sealed, reusable container or bag.
Pack a reusable water bottle and your lunch.
Practice physical distancing.
No sharing with others (e.g. food, drinks, e-cigarettes, vapes, cigarettes).
Use hand sanitizer and wash your hands regularly.
Put any reusable masks/face coverings into the laundry as soon as you get home and wash the masks and storage containers before using them again.

Mental Health Support

Children’s Mental Health Ontario - Back-to-School Mental Health Kit
School Mental Health Ontario - COVID-19
Canadian Mental Health Association - Mental Health Support during COVID-19
World Health Organization: Helping children cope with stress during COVID-19 outbreak
World Health Organization: Coping with Stress
List of local mental health services

Health Care

COVID-19 Assessment Centres in Oxford County, Elgin County and the City of St. Thomas
COVID-19 Test Results
COVID-19 and Children
How to Care for a Child with COVID-19 at Home: Advice for Caregivers

Food Access

Resources for Educators

Guidance Documents

Schools

Child Care Centres

Summer and Day Camps

Guidance for Summer Day Camps (Ontario)
Precautions When Working in a Day Camp
Guidance for Day Camps (Ministry of Health)
Precautions When Working in a Day Camp

Signage and Resources

References

¹Children’s Mental Health Ontario. (2020). Six tips to support your child’s mental wellness and prepare for the start of the school year. Retrieved from
https://cmho.org/six-tips-to-support-your-childs-mental-wellness

²CHEO. (2020). Back to school during COVID-19: Tips for parents and caregivers. Retrieved from
https://www.cheo.on.ca/en/resources-and-support/resources/P6225E.pdf

³Teens and sleep: Why you need it and how to get enough. Retrieved from
https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/teens_and_sleep

⁴School Mental Health Ontario. (2020). Supporting mental health and wellness during the return to school. Retrieved from
https://smho-smso.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Supporting-Mental-Health-and-Wellness-during-the-Return-to-School-Tip-Sheet-EN.pdf

⁵Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health. (2020). Back-to-school 2020-21: Mask guidance for parents. Retrieved from
https://wdgpublichealth.ca/sites/default/files/file-attachments/mask_guidance_for_parents_r5_final_aug.26.2020.pdf

⁶Cavanaugh, B., Aponte, C., & Shamlian, K. (2020). A toolkit for helping your child wear a mask during COVID-19. University of Rochester Medical Center. Retrieved from
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/strong-center-developmental-disabilities/resources/masks-toolkit.aspx

⁷American Academy of Pediatrics. (2020). Cloth face coverings for children during COVID-19. Retrieved from
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Cloth-Face-Coverings-for-Children-During-COVID-19.aspx

⁸Children’s Mental Health Ontario. (2020). Six tips to support your child’s mental wellness and prepare for the start of the school year. Retrieved from
https://cmho.org/six-tips-to-support-your-childs-mental-wellness

Adapted with permission from Middlesex-London Health Unit