Rocky View Schools (RVS) is getting back to normal operations and working to ensure students and staff feel comfortable while the province moves to an endemic response to COVID.
Superintendent of Schools Greg Luterbach presented the RVS COVID operational plan during the March 10 school board meeting.
The most relevant public health measure change to RVS was mask usage being optional for students.
“Consistent with the approach that Rocky View Schools has taken throughout the pandemic, as the government has changed requirements and recommendations, we have followed,” Luterbach said. “The pandemic school operations plan really shrunk in size.”
In addition to making masking optional for students, the restriction exemption program was eliminated across the province, and RVS rescinded the temporary measure put in place for proof of immunization, or rapid testing.
“All school-related health measures were lifted as of March 1, that wasn’t a surprise to anybody, they had said previously this was going to be the next step, and it was communicated with our families,” Luterbach said. “For most families, this was the dotting of the I, and crossing of the T, because really it wasn’t a big surprise, and most people had been preparing mentally around the change.”
After public health orders were lifted, RVS stated that many health measures would continue, as families were asked to use the checklist, keep children at home when they are ill, wash hands, and use respiratory etiquette.
“We certainly have more students and staff still choosing to wear masks, and visitors, and that’s certainly their right and we support that,” Luterbach said.
RVS is also continuing with the enhanced high-touch surface cleaning and changing air ventilation systems frequently.
Schools have been encouraged to continue the measures they put into place, including staggering lunch and recess times.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding, we know there have been people at all ends of the spectrum in their beliefs in what happened, and the measures put in place. Some people felt too much, some people felt too little, and our focus was around meeting the needs of students in schools,” Luterbach said.
Since February, RVS staffing shortages have subsided, and schools are back to full operations.
“The reality was when cases were exploding among the general public in January they were exploding among our staff, and we saw more cases of COVID impacting staff than we had seen in the previous 18 months combined,” Luterbach said.
Schools, substitute teachers, and support staff worked to ensure schools could remain open during the peak of the COVID wave, and staffing shortages.
“We know there were days where we ran out of replacements, and schools rolled up their sleeves and worked to support students and their learning,” Luterbach said. “I’m proud of everyone and how they were resilient throughout that period.”
Going forward, RVS is working to ensure students and staff feel comfortable, as RVS moves back to normal operations.
“We’re in the journey back to normal operations, things might change, but we’ll continue to roll up our sleeves and work hard to serve our communities no matter what challenges are thrown at us. It’s a journey back to getting people comfortable,” Luterbach said.
