As COVID-19 cases rise in the area, you may worry about sending your little one to school or maybe you’re just concerned about community spread. Wolf Creek School Division Superintendent, Jayson Lovell is confident in the schools board’s approach in handling the ongoing pandemic. Here is a run-down of what happens when there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 at our local schools.

Notification begins with communication 

Lovell says each school in Wolf Creek has been provided with a handbook that guides them as soon as they get the call from AHS that a positive case has been found. As soon as schools get notification of a positive case, administration begins organizing communication to email and notify to parents and guardians of the affected students who have been in close contact with the known case. From there, parents are required to pick up their students as soon as possible, if notification occurs when school is in-session. 

“The students and the teacher or staff in the classroom are advised right away. While we're advising them, we have a script that's followed as far as steps that they need to take. We will actually remove students from a classroom setting and provide a space where they can be quarantined until they can be picked up by their parents,” explained Lovell.

A letter is later supplied to all parents and guardians of the school to inform them of the active case as well as some general information. From there, the school enhances its sanitization.

Lovell says the school’s administration plays a large part in the notification system who may check in with the students of isolating families.The school also provides parents with their isolation requirements from AHS.

“Often we will communicate on behalf of Alberta Health Services with information that they're providing to us on that particular case,” added Lovell.

If an entire class is at home self-isolating, their learning will continue online.

Enchanced cleaning and sanitization

“We coordinate with our custodial staff at the school and we do a deep cleaning and disinfecting of all items around that confirmed case individual. We remove items that for whatever reason maybe can't be cleaned or disinfected. Those protocols are directed by Alberta Environment Public Health and we follow those. We do move in very quickly to make sure that the actual school setting is sanitized and cleaned,” said Lovell.

Additionally, school busses will also receive a thorough cleaning in addition to their regular sanitization routine. 

Emotional supports for students and families 

The schools are also offering enhanced supports for students who are experiencing anxiety or stress because of the pandemic. Additional social workers have been hired to help them work through the stress. Resources are also being offered online for families and parents who may also be experiencing anxiety.

Wolf Creek Public School Division has dealt with a total of seven cases so far, and Lovell believes maintaining a commitment to the health and safety of all students and staff has been instrumental in getting through the pandemic.

Throughout this year so far, Lovell says he’s seen much compassion and dedication to maintaining public health from students, teachers, and parents or guardians.

“Schools are the hub of the community and to have our staff interacting and working with our students face to face every day is fantastic. I think that we can continue to take the precautions and just manage as we have. We have to recognize that with the number of cases in Alberta, it's just inevitable that there will be cases in our schools. When they do happen, I think the most important point is that we've really tried to do our best to create great plans and put student and staff safety at the forefront of everything we do,” explained Lovell.