After six months, the schools along the coast will now re-open tomorrow, September 9th, 2020.
OK Radio contacted each of the school principals in Makkovik, Rigolet and Hopedale.
Dion Rideout is the principal for the J.C. Erhardt Memorial School in Makkovik.
There will be no opening ceremonies, but the Kindergarten class will have a chance to look around the school at 8:30am to get comfortable with the building, and the remaining classes will enter the school at 9am.
Rideout says the following is the provincial guidelines for COVID-19:
Grades Kindergarten to Grade 6 don’t have to wear face masks but grade 7 to grade 12 must wear face masks going out to the common areas and can take them off at their seats in the classrooms. The students are also seated one metre apart in each classroom.
There will be more regulations for the school once they become available.
Dean Coombs is the principal for the Amos Comenius Memorial School in Hopedale.
There will be no opening ceremonies, but they did a proposal for the Kindergarten parents to go into the school with their child/children and they’re waiting for confirmation.
There are two new teachers and there is a shortage of substitute teachers and they are looking for applicants.
They are also following the provincial guidelines, they have hand sanitizers, employees are cleaning and disinfecting around the schools and there are markings throughout the buildings.
Coombs would like to add that they are doing everything as planned; the teachers are ready for the students and ready for the school year.
Jarvis House is the principal for the Northern Lights Academy School in Rigolet.
They will also have no opening ceremonies, the students can go straight to their classrooms and House will be going class to class to see how things are going and to greet them.
They are also following the provincial guidelines.
The Jens Haven Memorial School here in Nain is also doing no opening ceremony at the Moravian Church.
They are planning to gather students around the building at specific times. Parents are encouraged to come along but only students are able to go into the school.
There are also restrictions to follow inside the building, they are:
-Breakfast and lunch programs will not be running.
-Canteen services and morning programs will be suspended until further notice
-Students in grade 7 to grade 12 are permitted to wear face masks in entrances, common areas, hallways and in the classrooms where one metre social distancing isn’t possible, and grades kindergarten to grade 6 don’t have to wear them.
-Students are encouraged to bring their own water bottle since fountains are not permitted.
-There will be hand sanitizers provided at all entrances, classrooms and washrooms.
-Students and teachers are expected to wash their hands and sanitize diligently
-All students and teachers will be doing a screening questionnaire before coming to the school
-Non-essential visitors will be not permitted to enter the building.
Tune into today’s PM show to hear more from the JHMS principal.