The new school rules
It’s difficult to imagine what a school day will look like under Covid-19. Victoria Girls’ High School kindly shared their re-opening plan and protocols. This is an edited version.
New term dates, curricula cut
Holidays have been significantly shortened and Grade 8 to 11 curricula have been slightly cut to fit in with the revised time available.
Screening, access control, masks
All staff and learners will be screened on entry to the campus via a single entrance.
No person will be allowed to enter the school grounds without a mask. If a learner has symptoms or a high temperature their parents will be phoned to collect them and they will be referred to the Health Department for testing. Visitors (including parents) will need to make an appointment to come on to campus. Face masks must be worn at all times.
Dress
Matrics may attend school in full school uniform, full sports uniform or civvies for the first few weeks. Clean, comfortable and warm clothing is what matters, says the school.
Streaming, alternating days
The school timetable will continue as per normal with two streams for each grade alternating on-site teaching days. This means every learner may only come to school on alternate days (i.e. Green stream comes to school on Day 1, 3, 5, etc. and the Blue stream on Day 2, 4, 6, etc. – with streams changing after every cycle). Remote teaching will continue as well in order to accommodate families affected by COVID-19, sick learners or boarders unable to return.
Grades will be assigned a specific corridor and ablution facilities to limit contact between grades. In addition, movement will be limited to teachers changing classes and senior grades moving between their four classes per lesson.
Hygiene
Learners will be required to disinfect regularly. Desks will be disinfected after each lesson if learners move and classes will be cleaned daily. Because there will be no co-curriculars, school will end at either 1pm or 1.45pm which will provide time for cleaners to clean classrooms. No bags will be allowed to be brought into classrooms (only books).
No tuckshop, socials
There will be no Tuckshop at school. In addition, all events are (e.g. camps, dances, tours, competitions, etc.) are cancelled until further notice. because temperature changes increase mucus production and can enhance viral transmission. • Windows (at least two) must be open, at all time, during the school day.
• Each learner’s hands to be sprayed with sanitiser as they enter the classroom
• Just before the lesson ends, desks must be wiped down and door handles sanitised.
Break times
• Learners will move outdoors and social distancing must take place.
• No sharing of water-bottles/lunch boxes.
End of the school day
• Final lesson of each day - desks and door handles to be sanitised, class to be swept, classroom bins emptied into corridor bins and windows closed.
• There are no co-curriculars and all staff and learners to go home immediately after lessons have ended.
• Learners will exit through the front school gate and maintain social distances until they have been collected.
• Boarders will return to hostel.
Gym and Computer Literacy Lessons
As social distancing cannot happen in the changing rooms, there will not be Gym lessons. The computer labs are staff work zones and so there will not be Computer Literacy lessons.
Office Area and Admin Area
• Visitors to the school by appointment only. • Requests to the Admin staff must be emailed. • No congregating of learners or staff at the reception area.