May 27, 2020

Dear First Nation Schools and Communities,

For those First Nations considering a partial or complete re-opening of school, the First Nations Education Steering Committee and First Nations Schools Association have compiled a number of resources and relevant considerations, recognizing that the safety and well-being of students, staff, families, and communities is the highest priority. Please find attached our latest resource, Considerations for Re-Opening BC First Nation Schools.

Update: Please see our more current resource First Nation Schools Reopening Considerations and Template (Revised January 14, 2022, which reflects updated public health guidance.

Our intention is not to recommend that First Nation schools re-open at this time. FNESC and FNSA respect the authority of individual First Nations to make decisions about school operations, consistent with local priorities. 

This document was adapted from the new BC Ministry of Education resource, Provincial COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings, which was informed by guidelines of the BC Centre for Disease Control and WorkSafe BC. Given the constantly evolving nature of the COVID-19 situation, we encourage you to regularly consult the links and resources included in this document to ensure you have the latest information.

You can find this resource and others on FNESC’s COVID-19 information page, which includes links to additional health and hygiene resources as well as suggestions for continuous learning.

We wish you all the best and we welcome your feedback on this resource.