Dear Brookside families,

We recognize the return to school in these uncertain times is anxiety provoking for all involved. This email includes some basic information around the logistics of students returning to school.

All students are returning to school as outlined in Nova Scotia’s Back to School Plan. To learn more about the plan, visit www.novascotia.ca/backtoschool.

We realize there is a lot of information to digest, which is why we will be sending it out in stages.

Additional information will follow next week on Wednesday September 2nd and again on Friday Sept 4th. We will include information about the first day of school (arrival times), HRCE provided masks, entry doors, homeroom information etc…).

Take care,
Brookside Administration

Masks
All students are asked to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible. If your child has a medical reason that prevents them from being able to wear a mask, please contact school administration to make them aware.

Public Health has encouraged all of us to socialize the wearing of masks as a measure to protect our collective health. Here is a link to a video that you can watch with your children before the first day of school: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/video/covid-19-wear-non-...

Social Distancing
Students and staff are asked to social distance wherever and whenever possible. We are in the process of removing any unnecessary furniture in classrooms to maximize our space.

School Day
Our school start time remains 8:00am. Teachers will be on duty each morning in their classrooms starting at 7:40. Students, when they arrive between 7:40-8:00am, should proceed to their designated door, enter and go directly to their classroom where their teacher will supervise them until classes begin.

Students should not arrive onto school property prior to 7:40am as there will be no supervision and congregating outside their homeroom cohort on the school grounds is not allowed under current public health orders.

More information about first day of school arrivals will be communicated next week.

Lockers
Students will not be permitted under current health guidelines to use lockers. They should bring their belongings to school in their backpack each day and take them home each afternoon in order for their classrooms to be cleaned.

Cohorts
Students will be with their homeroom cohort all day, each day. They will remain in their homeroom classroom and their subject area teachers will travel to them. They will be permitted to travel to a specialized elective space if required (Phys. Ed, Tech Ed, Art etc…). We will also be taking classes outside when possible.  The current class caps are still in effect which means cohorts can have a maximum of 30 students before they are capped. Our teachers will be working together to organize and schedule movement breaks for students. Please be patient as we figure out the most efficient way to do this.

Lunch Supervision
Students will eat lunch in their classrooms and then, (weather permitting) go outside. All students are expected to go outside when weather permits.

Under current health guidelines, students are not allowed to socialize with other students outside their cohort even during unstructured time such as lunchtime.

More details regarding lunchtime will be communicated next week.