Dear First Nations Schools,
On August 26th, 2022 the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) and First Nations Schools Association (FNSA) shared the latest health and safety guidance documents for K-12 school settings. We recommend that you refer to these documents directly as the authoritative sources of health and safety information while planning for and providing in-class instruction.
- The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) Public Health Communicable Disease Guidance for K-12 Schools
- The BC Ministry of Education and Child Care (ECC) Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings
FNESC and FNSA have also revised our resource, First Nations Schools Reopening Considerations and Template, to reflect the updated guidance and to support BC First Nations delivering in-person instruction during the 2022/2023 school year. The resource includes important health and safety guidance from the BCCDC and ECC as well as a school planning template tailored to address the unique circumstances of First Nations schools.
FNESC and FNSA, like the BC Ministry of Health, BCCDC, and ECC, fully respect the authority of individual First Nations to make decisions about the operation of First Nations schools in the best interests of their students, schools, and communities. This includes the authority to decide if and how to use this resource and the available public health guidance documents to inform planning for in-person learning.
Find the latest updates at www.fnesc.ca/covid19 and www.fnsa.ca/covid19.
Sincerely,