MARIAM AL BATOOL SCHOOL
COVID-19 GUIDELINES
Re-opening of School
September 2020
8th September, 2020.
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Hope this note finds you and your families in the best of health. As you are aware, scholastic year 2020-21 will commence on Wednesday 30th September, 2020 for primary students and Monday 5th October for kindergarten pupils. I, together with all the staff at Mariam Al Batool School, are looking forward to welcoming your children back to school.
These past months were both extraordinary and challenging, and we did our utmost to continue providing the students with high quality education, given the circumstances. The same goes for the re-opening of the school. Our desire is to provide a fulfilling educational journey to our students, as well as taking their health and safety seriously. For this reason, I am sending you the school’s Covid-19 basic protocol which the school will be implementing for the re-opening of the school. Your cooperation is of utmost importance. While I encourage you to read it carefully, I thank you in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Kenneth Busutti
With regards to the Covid-19 pandemic, the school has incurred additional costs related to hygiene. This is understandable, given the current situation. However, the school’s administration would like to make it clear that the following protocol should be adhered to for the health and safety of every individual connected to the school, including the students, staff members and parents. Kindly be aware that the situation is very fluid. We have taken note of the procedures being followed by the relevant authorities. These guidelines are in force until further notice.
SCHOOL RE-OPENING
1. Basic hygiene: includes temperature checks, physical distancing, handwashing, cleaning of desks, chairs, knobs, railings, and all surfaces.
2. Sickness policy: DO NOT send your child to school if he/she shows signs of illness. Temperature should be taken before the child leaves home. Please check your child daily for these symptoms:
A temperature of 37.2℃ Sore Throat New uncontrolled cough (for students with a chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline)
Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain
New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever. If the child exhibits any sickness symptoms, the school will phone the parents/ guardians. The child will be kept out of the classroom, in isolation until the parent collects the child. The sick child has to be picked up immediately. Staff members are not allowed to give medicine. No child will be admitted back to school, without a clearance certificate from a doctor.
3. The school is not responsible for individuals who enter the school, and who do not form part of the school community, that is: staff members, students or parents.
4. Students are to bring their own personal hand sanitizers, masks/visors and labelled water bottles. The school’s drinking water fountains will be forbidden.
5. HW: this is to be given and received online. The HW is to be corrected by the students in class or online. Textbook use is to be kept at a minimum. Softcopies will be encouraged.
6. Upon arrival at school, the students will have their temperature checked. All students, including those that arrive by van and those dropped off by parents, are to enter the school through the brown door at KG level (through the yard). These will have their temperature checked by the supervising educators. Students are to enter their respective classrooms. There will be educators supervising on each floor. The same procedure applies to dismissal.
7. There will be no mass gatherings, including assemblies, outings, and special occasions.
8. Break times will be staggered across year groups.
9. Temperature checks will be done by the class teachers upon dismissal from class.
10. Parents will not be allowed to enter the school premises, except with a permission in particular circumstances. Parents’ meetings will strictly be held online until further notice.
11. Students will need to wear masks/visors at all times, except during lessons and when taking their break in the yard.
Sickness policy in case of a positive Covid-19 test: The school is to inform the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit. 14 days of quarantine apply, together with a clearance certificate from the Unit for admittance to school. Should the need arise, contact tracing will be done by the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit. Your duty is to inform the school immediately if a member of your own household has tested positive.
Protocols by sector:
Kindergarten (1 & 2)
Students will be grouped in bubbles. The number of students in a bubble is still to be decided, following the guidelines from the Health Authorities.
Parents please check the temperature of your children in the morning prior to bringing them to school.
The classroom set up will be different. All resources, indoor and outdoor, will be used by rotation and will be sanitized after each use.
Hand sanitizer – parents have to provide a labelled hand sanitizer/alcohol rub. This is to stay in class and will be handled by the class teacher.
Parent/Teacher communication will be solely online. Attendance will be taken daily as usual.
Primary (Years 1 -6)
Parents please check the temperature of your children in the morning prior to bringing them to school.
Hand sanitizer – parents have to provide a labelled hand sanitizer/alcohol rub. This is to stay in class and will be handled by the class teacher.
Routine hand washing will be in place.
Parent/Teacher communication will be solely online.
Parents are not allowed to enter the school. Attendance will be taken daily as usual.
One-way movement in corridors and stairwells.
Online resources will be used as much as possible. The use of books and hard copy resources will be limited.
Hands have to be sanitized before and after every lesson.
