Schools/Child Care and COVID-19

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Contact(s)

Renseignements en français

Parents and guardians must screen their child each day before going to school or child care. Grade 9-12 students must also verify that they have completed the daily screen once they arrive at school.

On this page:

Information for Parents/Guardians

Screening
  • Use the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool to help decide if your child should go to school/child care today.
  • If you have questions, please call the Health Unit’s COVID-19 Call Centre at 1-844-478-1400.

Children and Self-Isolation

Parenting and COVID-19

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Preventing the Spread

You can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your child's school/child care community by teaching your child these simple routine practices:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

  • Sneeze and cough into your upper sleeve. If a child sneezes or coughs into their hand, hand hygiene should be performed. 

  • Wear a properly fitted face covering when required in the school setting, unless exempt.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

  • Distancing between children from different school cohorts should be encouraged as much as possible.

Transportation

  • For specific back-to-school transportation information and guidelines, visit www.npssts.ca  and your child’s school board website.

  • When possible, choose walking and cycling to school. Finding an active way to school can give your child many benefits such as increased readiness to learn, decreased levels of stress and increased levels of happiness on the journey to school.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Information for School/Child Care Administration and Staff

Top 6 Tools for a COVID-Safe Return to School 2021-2022

Here is a one-pager with our top resources to support a safe and healthy 2021/2022 school year!

Screening

Guidance Documents

Schools

Child Care

COVID-19 Guidance Flow Charts

Parent/Guardian Handouts

Posters

Social Media 

Facebook/Twitter posts (Audience: Parents/Guardians)

Instagram posts (Audience: Students)

Presentations

 Videos

Ways to Stay Healthy and Safe at School

Masks and Face Coverings

Hand-Washing

Teaching Tools
  • Health Unit - Hand Hygiene Resource Manual (ages: 4-14) - This resource provides lesson plans, activities, and materials for teachers to use to educate students about germs, how they are spread, and how to prevent the spread of germs through proper hand hygiene.
  • School and Classroom Supports – Find resources to support classroom learning and a healthy school environment on various health topics (mental health, physical activity, healthy eating, substance use, vaping, and more).

Mental Health Resources 

Physical Activity Resources

“Recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Recess should not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons.”

OPHEA – COVID-19 Considerations for Physical Activity

Includes considerations for:

  • Physical education
  • Intramurals
  • Interschool sports

CIRA Ontario

Playworks: Safe Return to Play Guide 

Asphalt Green: Rep It Out! Games for Social Distancing 

PHE Canada: Physical Education Activities 

Health Unit – Physical Activity at School

Healthy Eating Resources

Our COVID-19 Call Centre is open Monday to Friday 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call us at 1-844-478-1400. **We are also open Saturday, September 11, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

Find more information on COVID-19.

North Bay

345 Oak Street West
705-474-1400

Parry Sound

70 Joseph Street Unit #302
705-746-5801

Burk's Falls

17 Copeland Street (by appointment only)
1-800-563-2808