The St. Clair Catholic District School Board is recommending face masks for all students as Chatham-Kent families prepare for back to school later this week.
The board has sent a notice out to parents encouraging all students to wear masks, including those in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3.
Masks have been made mandatory for students in Grades 4 through 12, unless exempted.
In their statement, the Catholic Board says the health and safety of their students has been the number one priority in their COVID-19 #SeptemberReady planning.
“Wearing masks at these ages builds skills in their safe use and will increase the comfort level of our youngest learners, as the use of masks in our communities continues,” says the board. “Masks are effective health and safety measures to protect us against COVID-19, especially in situations where physical distancing is more difficult.”
The board recommends students be wearing a mask when they arrive at school and bring a spare one from home. Schools will also have a supply if students do not have one.
Students will be given opportunities to be mask-free, such as during recess, lunch, outside classroom time and ‘mask break times’.
Students will also be provided with bags in which to store their mask on their desks as they leave the classroom for outside activities. When they return from outside, students will sanitize their hands first, then remove their mask from the bag and replace it on their faces correctly.
“When we wear a mask, we help to protect other people; and when others wear masks, they are helping to protect us,” continues the statement from the SCCDSB. “By working together and supporting each other we will do all that we can to help make our learning environments as safe as possible for everyone.”
