COCHRANE— The first case of COVID-19 has been reported in a Cochrane public school.
On Saturday (Sept. 26) RancheView School released a letter to parents stating Alberta Health Services had notified them that an individual had tested positive for COVID-19.
The RancheView case is the fifth reported confirmed COVID-19 case in Rocky View Schools since they opened in September, said superintendent Greg Luterbach.
He added the safety and wellbeing of students and staff are at the heart of every decision made by Rocky View Schools. The school board will be working closely with Alberta Health Services to ensure all necessary precautions are taken to help limit the spread of the virus.
Students who go into quarantine will have homework to do and will be able to check-in with teachers during their isolation. On the first day of their quarantine, teachers will be busy preparing for the transition to online learning and will contact families the following day to provide guidance on learning online. The move to virtual learning will not be permanent and students will return to the classroom once their quarantine is completed.
“They’re not moving fully online because they are coming back at the end of their isolation period,” Luterbach said.
No additional information will be available about the RancheView COVID-19 case to maintain the individual’s privacy.
Any students or staff who have been in close contact with the COVID-19 positive individual have been provided additional information about mandatory isolation and will be contacted directly by Alberta Health Services.
RancheView school will remain open for in-class learning and a deep clean of the school was completed before the return of students, as part of Rocky View Schools COVID-19 positive case protocols.
Schools are facing a different situation in comparison to when they closed in March, Luterbach said. Since that time schools have been working to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic to keep students and staff safe.
“It’s kind of a reality that is embedded into their life. If you look at what school life looked like on March 1 when it first arrived versus what it looks like on Sept. 15 now you see things like one-way signs, like hand sanitizer stations,” Luterbach said. “There’s been lots of that kind of visible in your face kind of reality about what’s going on in our communities.”
Protocols have been put in place to keep people safe, he said, adding since early July Rocky View Schools has been releasing information about the COVID-19 health measures in place.
To ensure schools are following COVID-19 protocols, Rocky View Schools, Alberta Health Services and Public Health have conducted inspections at schools that experience a case of the virus.
“It’s not just us but certainly you have other AHS organizations that are out there doing it,” Luterbach said. “We’re doing it both internally and bringing in other people to have a look as well.”
More details on the Rocky View Schools Scenario One Plan for COVID-19 are available on its website.
Screening for illness plays a pivotal role in Rocky View School’s safety strategy to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Families are asked not to send children to school if they are sick or answer yes to any of the questions on the Alberta Health Daily Checklist.
If a child exhibits COVID-19 symptoms families are asked to complete the Alberta COVID-19 self-assessment and stay home.
“We know it's about when there are cases not likely if,” Luterbach said. “We’re learning as we’re going and we will continue to make changes to those protocols in the Scenario One document.”
Rocky View Schools will be updating the health measures in place as new information is received from the Alberta Chief Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw and Alberta Health Services. He added they have developed a fluid plan based on the realistic needs of school communities paired with recommendations from medical experts.
“It’s schools where the magic happens. Where they have to implement,” Luterbach said. “We meet with our principals we listen to them.”
He noted a multitude of approaches are being used to keep everyone safe during the pandemic including having people stay home when sick, using proper hand hygiene, practicing proper respiratory etiquette and wearing a mask.
“Any one of those pieces or components on their own can make a positive difference,” Luterbach said. “But, when you do them all together that’s when you’re going to have your best chance to keep schools open and keep kids in schools.”
