A Message from the Superintendent

A message from Darren Mazutinec, Superintendent of Schools for Westwind School Division. Full letter below.

Dear Westwind students and parents, 

I hope this letter finds all of you and your families well and enjoying the last day of our summer break. It seems like forever since we’ve seen you in our schools, and we are so excited to welcome all of you back into our buildings! I know your school principal and classroom teachers have been meeting, planning, and discussing all the things that we are required to have in place for your safe arrival back into your school. I’m very proud of the work our school leaders and teachers have done to get ready for your safe return. 

I’ve had many discussions with government officials, health officers, our neighbouring superintendents, students, and parents. These stakeholders have a vested interest in ensuring that I understand the regulations and directives, their thoughts and points of view, and the many good ideas that should be considered with our re-entry. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with our central office team and me.

When Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced that we would be returning to school under "Scenario One - Normal," our office was thrilled and grateful for the potential of a typical return-to-school and a normal school year. As we delved into the regulations and guidance surrounding a Scenario One re-entry, we quickly realized that the required health restrictions and requirements were far from the "normal" we are used to in our schools. Still, we are more than happy to comply with any regulations that allow us to have our students back in our buildings and learning from their teachers.

Our central office team has worked hard to make our re-entry plans as smooth, logical, and normal as possible while still meeting all the AHS requirements.  We have actively sought clarity from Alberta Education on challenging or vague issues that required more clarification. We have carefully analyzed the difference in meaning between “may, should, shall, and must” as found in the AHS directives to see what room we had to manoeuvre within Westwind to give our students and families the most “normal” school year we could provide. As a result, we have had to make some tough decisions in some volatile areas that will likely impact some families.

I’d like to take some time to talk about a few of these critical areas that I feel are the important ones you’ll want to hear about directly. I can assure you that our intent is not to intentionally make anyone’s life more complicated. I understand the complexity of a household with small children and/or working parents and empathize with our families dealing with these and other stressors. I also ask for your empathetic understanding of our restrictions and expectations to follow all Alberta Education directives and all Alberta Health Services requirements that are in place to allow us to stay open in Scenario One to keep all of our kids in school.

First Days of School

Most of our schools have presented a staggered entry plan to allow for smaller groups of students to meet with their teachers and principal, and for time to understand the new regulations that will be affecting them at this time (self-screening, handwashing, mask use, school traffic flow, recess, etc.). Your school principal will have their plan posted on their school website to help you and your family plan accordingly.

School Bus Transportation

I’ve included a link to the most up-to-date information from the recent Health order this weekend on all transportation requirements. To help us meet these new COVID bussing requirements, we’ve invited parents of our funded bus students to take their children to their schools personally. If they choose not to, our Westwind busses will pick up all healthy and masked students, assign them to a seat, and seat families together. At this time, we’ve decided to restrict our entire bus fleet to only those residing further than 2.4km away from the school. We will not be picking up any student who lives less than 2.4km from their school. Your distance from the school is calculated using a government program with set distance parameters to allow for consistency, so the data produced is consistent across the district. 

Masks

Please take some time to review the latest mask information and yesterday’s health order. Masks have created two sides on this issue; those who support wearing them and those who don’t believe they are necessary. I completely understand and see both sides of this issue. The reality is that we’ve been asked to “ensure compliance” with the mask order from AHS. I endorse the intent and purpose of masks, as I believe it relates to keeping us in Scenario One. Scenario One has the potential for a complete return to all things all of us want and expect in public education – clubs, councils, co-curricular, band, choirs, musicals, and extra-curricular opportunities. 

Masks are to be worn by Grade 4 to 12 students and all school staff (subject to exemptions) in all settings outside seated classroom instruction where physical distancing of 2 metres cannot be maintained (for example when a student travels in our hallways and gathering areas).

Once the students get to their class, they can remove the masks as their teachers have prepared and planned to try with all reasonableness to ensure a 2-metre distance between students.  Students.  And, if this is not possible – that is, if 2 metres cannot be arranged between student desks or tables -  students will be arranged so they are not facing each other and arranged in rows rather than in small groups of four or a semi-circle.  Even where 2 meters distancing is not possible between desks, the desks will be arranged to allow for the greatest possible spacing.  That way, if a student coughs or sneezes, they should not likely cough or sneeze directly on the face of another student.

If close contact between students, or students and Division employees or visitors is occurring as a result of non-seated classroom activity, in this case, masks would be required for the duration of that activity.

For those who may not agree with the school-related orders from Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and Alberta Education, we ask for your help and understanding to follow what the law requires us to do. We will examine mask exemption requests on a case by case basis and examine whether there would be a reasonable accommodation. However, if we could not reasonably accommodate a request – given our significant duties to provide for a safe school environment, an option would be online schooling for the school year. Again, this would be examined on a case by case basis based on the individual circumstances.

Masks are not required in Westwind schools when Gr. 4 to 12 students are receiving classroom instruction and where desks, chairs and tables are arranged in a manner to prevent students from facing each other and we have allowed the greatest possible distance between seated persons.  

Additionally, while masks are not required for students in K to G. 3 classrooms, we will be striving to maintain as much distance between the students and staff as possible. The safety of your children is important to Westwind School Division as we work through these unprecedented times. Thank you for your support and understanding.

I am confident that if we all do our part and do what’s asked and expected we can quickly return to normal and get back to our pre-COVID routines. Any visits to Scenario Two (blended learning) or Scenario Three (at-home learning) guarantees another round of missed education co/extra-curricular student opportunities.

Band, choir, and Co/Extra-curricular Opportunities 

Westwind is making every effort to provide all option classes, clubs, councils, after-school programs, and as many co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities to our students as possible. I’ve discussed this mindset with our Central Office team, our Board of Trustees, and our principals, and all three groups are in agreement to do all we can for our students within the AHS guidelines. We will be offering all past course options with only one exception, choir. Our band teachers have created a safe and well thought out band option for our involved schools. Parents will have the choice of whether or not to allow your child to be involved in band class at your school. Our choir and show choir options will be focused on music appreciation option with no singing at this time. We plan to return to singing once AHS gives us their approval to resume. Your principal will determine your school’s “extra” co-curricular opportunities as they follow all AHS directions.

Our extra-curricular mindset is to do all we can do within the Government of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, and Alberta School Athletics Association (ASAA) guidelines. Our high school teams will do all that is permitted by ASAA and AHS. Westwind has made it clear to the province and ASAA that we are of the mindset to do more for our student-athletes sooner. Our junior high athletic leaders have met and are creating a plan to let these junior high students become involved in various sports soon. More details will be coming out shortly.

The 20/21 school year opens tomorrow for our students. There are lots of controversial and debatable items that will keep us in discussion for weeks and weeks. The driving force in all of this is that we have kids back in school covering curriculum and re-engaging in all that public education offers. This simple fact is a big win for everyone. I ask that you not let the wearing of a mask for short periods during the school day deter you from sending your children back to us. Don’t let the fear of not knowing how long we will be in each scenario dominate your thoughts. I promise we will do our very best to educate your children, keep them safe, let them play and visit with their friends, and provide opportunities for them to participate in all that we can offer them in public education. To those parents choosing to keep your children home and teach them, our Westwind Alternate principal and teachers are prepared to help you as best they can. If/when the time comes and you are ready to send your child back to school, let us know, and we will make the transition as seamless as we can. 

We will most assuredly have bumps and bruises on this road to re-entry; however, Westwind is made up of resilient people who can do challenging things. I’m confident that we can do this and do it well. 

Thanks for reading. Please feel free to give me a call if you have any issues you want to discuss. 

Talk with you soon. 

Darren