Pandemic plan helped Prairie South get ahead of coronavirus crisis

It’s always important to be prepared for any type of crisis, including a pandemic, so Prairie South School Division was ready to act in mid-March when the coronavirus began shutting down society. Prairie South (PSSD) first implemented portions of its pandemic preparedness response plan on March 12, when the provincial government announced Saskatchewan had its first presumptive case of COVID-19. PSSD fully deployed its preparedness plan on March 20 — after gatherings were limited to 250 people — and implemented its business continuity strategy throughout the school division. Division administration presented the pandemic preparedness response plan to board trustees during their most recent meeting. A summarized version of the document is presented below.

In the event of a phase 6 pandemic — one that is in progress — or at other times under the direction of public health authorities, the school division may determine that activation of a business continuity plan is appropriate, the report explained. This plan considers essential services in light of other circumstances connected to the outbreak, while it ensures these services continue to exist while other services may be suspended. The director of education is responsible for this plan. The business continuity plan can be implemented in a single school, group of schools, other school division buildings or across the entire school division, depending upon the spread of the influenza outbreak. Services deemed essential would vary according to circumstances, but decisions related to business continuity would be made with the safety of students, staff and the community in mind. Examples of essential services in the division include teaching, yard supervision, cleaning and disinfecting, strategic planning activities, building security, payroll functions, information technology support, network security, and collaborating with other school divisions or local authorities.

When a pandemic is declared, the director of education — with the support of superintendents of school operations — will be responsible to direct the system on a dayto-day basis, the report said.

The director of education would have the general responsibility for the management of the division and all major decisions declared during the pandemic. Some of the director’s duties during this time could include liaising with the Ministry of Education and Saskatchewan Health Authority; consulting with the board chair; and communicating with trustees, staff, community, parents and students.

If the schools are still open, students and staff would be taught and encouraged to practise cough and sneeze etiquette; to use correct handwashing/hygiene techniques; to practise frequent hand cleaning; and to learn how to take care of themselves when caring for ill friends or family.

The report also goes into detail about how to manage ill students and staff; how to sufficiently clean school environments; and recommendations for school administrators on how to manage the pandemic. Some of those recommendations include promoting good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette; refraining from using masks in schools; maintaining cleaning and disinfecting policies; reinforcing food- and container-sharing policies; keeping parents/caregivers informed about any measures taken; supporting individuals/families who are self-monitoring or self-isolating; managing students/ staff with possible influenza virus; and reporting to the appropriate school superintendent if principals think they have a suspected case of the virus, unusual absenteeism, or other concerns.

For more information on the pandemic preparedness plan visit www.prairiesouth.ca.

The next board of education meeting is Tuesday, May 5.