Briercrest College credits pandemic plan for zero COVID-19 outbreaks this year

A robust return-to-campus pandemic plan is being credited with ensuring Briercrest College had zero COVID-19 outbreaks or transmissions this school year.

The Caronport-based college recently completed eight months of in-person learning and faced no coronavirus flareups that have plagued other educational institutions. Protocols such as daily screenings, modified class schedules and designated isolation dorms helped prevent outbreaks and preserved healthy student life on campus.

The institution reported one positive case of COVID-19 in September and another in January, both of which were caught during precautionary testing and did not result in any transmission.

“We ran a very good year … . We really think we had a really strong plan that we worked with Sask. Health and followed really diligently,” provost Don Taylor told the Moose Jaw Express.

Finishing the year transmission-free was a campus-wide effort that included the co-operation of roughly 500 college and high school students and 120 staff and faculty, he continued. Staff were asked to make sacrifices such as limiting their contacts and trips to Moose Jaw, while students were asked to comply with and adapt to ever-changing restrictions. Briercrest Seminary — which has roughly 200 students — offered all its courses online this year.

“Really, (I’m) very impressed with everybody — students and staff alike — in how we got through the year. A hard year, but we got through it very well,” Taylor added.

First-year student Alyssa Peterson said in a news release that the Briercrest campus was the safest place for her this year. “I was blessed every day with the community. If I would’ve had to do online school, I would be struggling every day,” she added. “But even just hearing girls talking (in dorm) as they walked past my door was reason to get out of bed.” Fighting the negative effects of isolation on students was one objective of the return-to-campus plan, Taylor said. College administration saw the challenges students faced with their mental health during the pandemic and knew people are healthier around others and when studying or learning together in person. Alongside classes, students enjoyed social events, worship gatherings, and communal living on campus. Sixty-six per cent of the college’s student body lived in dorms this year.

“It was really — educationally — an effective year. Students didn’t lose out on courses and did a very good job … ,” Taylor continued.

“We also have to credit the Christian fellowship and the Lord watching over us. We just feel — in our own imperfection — in adhering to the guidelines, there is so much we don’t know about this pandemic, but nevertheless, we just felt that God watched over us and we’re really grateful for that.”

Similar to high schools, the college adjusted its course format so that students took two classes per block as one method to prevent disruptions to their learning. This made life clearer and simpler for students to track their assignments and when moving through their classes.

There was very little sickness on campus during the past eight months, Taylor added. If students became ill, they were required to move to an isolation dorm and join classes via Zoom. Briercrest College is preparing to offer face-to-face classes next fall.

Visit briercrest.ca for more information.