Covid-19 Update
Covid-19 response
As we prepare to welcome our students back to Iqra School on Tuesday,
September 8, our priority remains the health and safety of our students,
staff, and community. We look forward to having students and employees
back on campus, bringing it alive with joy, laughter and the love of
learning.
Classroom Instruction
We will meet the
Ministry of Health guidelines for physical distancing between students
and between the teacher and students based on learning groups. Groupings
of desks and tables will be allowed for students within the same
learning group and physical distancing will be used to separate students
of different learning groups. Teachers will rely on a variety of tools,
including technology, to facilitate collaborative work when it must
occur between students of different learning groups.
Campus Upgrades
We
have installed additional sinks in both of our campuses to increase the
capacity of students who wish to wash their hands. We have also
installed guidance lines within our campus to ensure students traverse
our campus in an orderly and easy-to-follow manner.
Health Screening
All
students, staff and visitors must complete a questionnaire as well as
pass a temperature check prior to entering out campus. Temperature
checks will be completed via the use of a non-contact infrared
thermometer.
Face Masks
Masks offer an added layer
of protection, especially for indoor public spaces where physical
distancing cannot be maintained. At this time, non-medical masks are
required in schools for students in Grades 4 and above, as well as
teachers, staff and visitors, when physical distancing of two metres is
not possible. Parents and caregivers will choose whether younger
students, Grade 3 and under, should wear a mask.
Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene, which refers to hand-washing or hand-sanitizing, is one of the most effective ways to reduce virus transmission.
Students
will be encouraged to wash their hands regularly with soap and water
and/or hand sanitizer. All students, staff, and visitors will be
required to sanitize their hands prior to entry into our campus.
Below
is a great resource to practice appropriate hand-washing techniques. We
encourage everyone to try and replicate the steps shown in the video to
optimize hand-washing efficiency. Please remember to use water
conservatively.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Physical Distancing
Students
will be encouraged to maintain physical distancing at all times.
Students will enter the school through a designated entranceway. When
possible, students should arrive at school immediately prior to the
morning call to avoid congregating in common spaces. Directional signage
will be used in hallways and stairwells to maintain a steady flow of
traffic and minimize congestion. Signs enforcing physical distancing
will be posted throughout the school. Bathrooms will be limited to two
students at a time. Classrooms have been reconfigured, and unnecessary
furniture and items in classrooms has been removed to allow for maximum
space for movement and accessible cleaning.
Cohorts within the School
“Cohort”
refers to minimizing the number of students and teachers any individual
comes in contact with, and to maintaining consistency within those
contacts as much as possible. Manitoba Education & Health authorizes
a maximum of 75 students per cohort, however, in the best interests of
safety, we will be drastically reducing this number.
Visitors
To
minimize the number of persons on our campuses, we highly encourage
visitors to call us at (204) 615-1119 to schedule an appointment.
In-class Attendance
As
per the instruction of the Manitoba Education & Training (MET),
regular class attendance is mandatory. In the event that a student
exhibits underlying health conditions that prevent the students from
attending, our teachers will provide a learning package for them to
complete at home.
Reminder
We kindly request parents to keep the following in mind:
1) Ensure your child brings a clean prayer mat with them on their first
day. Each student will be praying Dhuhr Salah on their own prayer mat
to reduce contact with other students.
2) Ensure your child brings a
nutritious snack and lunch to keep them energized throughout the day.
Students are also required to bring their own filled water bottle with
them everyday. Water dispensers are available on campus.
3) Ensure your child brings indoor shoes with them to help keep our campus as clean as possible.
4) Parents are requested to park in an organized manner during pick-up
and drop-off times, as there will be a large number of parents/children
in front of the entranceways during these times.
Ending Statement
Iqra
School takes seriously the safety and wellness of our students, staff,
parents, and the community. We believe we can successfully navigate our
return to on-campus learning and support the Ministry of Health’s
recommendations during this pandemic. Together, our entire community is
committed to working through these challenging times. We look forward to
welcoming our students to our campus this fall. We have and will
continue to contribute to the safety, well-being, and happiness of our
students to the best of our ability, while at the same time maintaining
our trust in Allah (SWT). May Allah protect us all.