​January 26, 2021

Dear ASD-S Families,

UPDATE:  Saint John (Zone 2) Health Region

                    Re: Return to Orange phase

At midnight tonight, the Saint John Health region, which covers all of ASD-S, will return to the Orange phase of recovery. For our staff and students, this means that safety directives will revert to those previously specified under the Orange level.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has created this document, with Public Health, outlining the Orange level safety protocols, which includes required mask use and the limiting of certain activities, such as extra-curricular music activities. Please take the time to review this document for full details.

Our Orange phase requirements are now in place, as follows:

• ​     Students from K-12 are required to wear a mask on the bus.

•      Students K-8 must wear masks at all times in school unless eating, sitting quietly at their desk or during physical education class. This includes outside.

•      Students in grades 9-12 must wear a mask at all times in school except when eating or during physical education class. This includes outside.

•  ​    Monitoring symptoms daily must continue, however the threshold for symptoms has returned to two (2). Those exhibiting two (2) symptoms must stay home and should be tested for COVID-19. If you or your child has symptoms, you can visit this site to do a self-assessment and book a COVID-19 test. If your child stays home due to symptoms, even with a negative COVID-19 test, students can return to school only once fever (with no medications) and/or other symptoms have been resolved for 24 hours.

As a reminder, students should have 2 clean masks with them every day. Students in grades 9-12 will practice physical distancing inside and outside of the school, keeping 1 metre apart in the classroom and 2 metres apart elsewhere. Students in K-8 will be continue to be supervised within their class bubbles.

We wish to remind families that the provincial COVID-19 response continues to change and evolve. We are committed to the health and safety of our staff and students and will keep our ASD-S families up-to-date with any new information we receive. Families can also check the GNB website for the latest COVID-19 information.

Although we have returned to a lessening of restrictions, it is still important that we remind our students about frequent hand washing/sanitizing; proper cough/sneeze etiquette; physical distancing; and monitoring for symptoms. 

Thank you for your understanding as we work together to follow the safety guidelines provided to us by Public Health and EECD.

Zoё Watson,

Superintendent

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