Screening

Due to the recent emergence of COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC) in Ontario, new safety measures have been added in schools and child care centres to keep students, children, and staff safe. These province-wide measures have been rolled out by the Ministry of Education.

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

Staff, students and children with any new or worsening symptom of COVID-19, as indicated in the school and child care screening tool, even those with only one symptom, must stay home until: 

• They receive a negative COVID-19 test result. 
• They receive an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional, or  
• It has been 10 days since their symptom onset and they are feeling better. 

All asymptomatic household contacts (not experiencing symptoms) of symptomatic individuals are required to isolate until the symptomatic household member: 

• receives a negative COVID-19 test result, or 
• receives an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional 

If the symptomatic individual tests positive, or is not tested and does not receive an alternative diagnosis from a health care professional, the symptomatic individual must isolate (including from household members) for 10 days from symptom onset, and all household contacts must isolate until 14 days from their last contact with the symptomatic individual. 

The provincial school and child care screening tool has been updated to provide this direction. 

If you have questions, please call the Health Unit’s COVID-19 Call Centre at 1-844-478-1400.

Parenting and COVID-19

• We want children to feel safe, secure and loved so they can reach their full potential and thrive. Our COVID-19 parenting resources will support you.
• How To Care For A Child Who Needs To Self-Isolate
• Top Parenting Tips For School Life During COVID-19

Transportation

• For specific back-to-school transportation information and guidelines, visit https://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.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

• COVID-19: Resources to Build our Children’s Resilience - Psychology Foundation of Canada includes webinars, podcasts, tip sheets, and more for parents, educators and child-caring professionals to support children and youth during COVID-19.
• Talking to Your Anxious Child About COVID -19 - Children’s Mental Health Ontario
• How to Work with Your School to Support Your Child’s Mental Health - School Mental Health Ontario

Back to School

• COVID-19 and Back to School (Fall 2020) - The Health Unit’s return-to-school FAQ for parents/guardians 
• Back to School During COVID-19: Tips for Parents and Caregivers – The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)

Outbreak Management 

• Operational Guidance: COVID-19 Management in Schools
• Child Care Operational Guidance 
• EarlyON Operational Guidance 
• Before and After School Programs Operational Guidance 
• Information on Child Care and the Early Years  
• Outbreak Alert Poster 

COVID-19 Guidance Flow Charts

• COVID-19 Guidance - Positive Student or Staff
• COVID-19 Guidance - Symptomatic Students or Staff
• COVID-19 Guidance - Symptomatic Students or Staff - Return to School

General School Guidance Documents

•  Ministry of Education - Guide to reopening Ontario’s schools
• Government of Canada - COVID-19 Guidance for Schools Kindergarten to Grade 12 
• SickKids - COVID-19: Guidance for School Operation during the Pandemic (updated)
• Health Unit - Face Coverings (Non-Medical Masks)
• Public Health Ontario - School and COVID-19
• Public Health Ontario – COVID-19 Preparedness and Prevention Checklist for Schools

Parent/Guardian Handouts

• Handout for Parents/Guardians Picking Up a Symptomatic Child

Posters

• Elementary – COVID Rules Refresher Series
• Secondary – COVID Rules Refresher Series
  
• Student Nutrition Program
• How to Wear a Face Covering
• How to Wash Your Hands
• How to Use Hand Sanitizer

Social Media 

Facebook/Twitter posts (Audience: Parents/Guardians)

• COVID Rules Refresher Series

Instagram posts (Audience: Students)

• COVID Rules Refresher Series 
• COVID Spread
• Mental Health

Presentations

• Preventing COVID-19: Refresher Presentations for Schools and Childcare Settings (Public Health Ontario)

 Videos

Ways to Stay Healthy and Safe at School

• Elementary – Top 5 Tips to Stay Safe at School (PHSD)
• Secondary – Top 5 Tips to Stay Safe at School (PHSD)
• COVID-19 Combined Precautions (WHO)

Masks and Face Coverings

• Elementary – How to properly wear a mask or face covering (PHSD)
• How to Wear a Non-Medical Mask (Health Canada)
• How Do I Properly Wear a Cloth Mask (OPH)  

Hand-Washing

• Elementary – Hand-Washing Heroes (Health Canada)
• How to Hand Wash (PHO)

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 

• School Mental Health Ontario - Student Mental Health Action Kit
• Health Unit - 5 Ways to Wellbeing
• Health Unit - Mental Health at School

Physical Activity Resources

• Health Unit - Recess Position Statement
• CIRA Ontario – COVID-19 Games to Keep You Going
• PHE Canada - Return to School Canadian Physical and Health Education Guidelines
• OPHEA - COVID-19 Considerations for Physical Education
• Health Unit – Physical Activity at School

Healthy Eating Resources

• Health Unit - Healthy Eating at School
• Bright Bites
• Foodland Ontario: Kids Corner
• Fruit and Vegetable Fact Sheets
• Recipes