September 10, 2020
The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) and First Nations Schools Association (FNSA) are providing the following checklist to support First Nation communities and schools in planning their school’s health & safety orientation for staff, students, and families. It is adapted from a resource developed by the BC Ministry of Education.
The following resource was updated in September 2021.
The checklist supports schools and communities in providing an overview of the key principles and guidelines outlined in the resources listed below, as well as information on how they will be implemented within the school:
- BCCDC’s COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 School Settings Important Update: Please also refer to the BCCDC’s March 30th Addendum, which supersedes the mask guidance in the main document.
- The Provincial COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings
- WorkSafeBC’s Education (K-12): Protocols for returning to operation
- The reopening plan for your school (School Plan)
Key considerations from the first three guideline documents are provided in FNESC and FNSA’s First Nation Schools Reopening Considerations and Template, but please consult the above documents on a regular basis as the guidance may be updated over time. The fourth document, the School Plan, will be specific to your school.
FNESC and FNSA fully respect the authority of individual First Nations to make decisions about school operations in the best interests of their students, schools, and communities, and we further recognize that a number of schools will opt to remain fully or partially closed. First Nations are under no obligation to reopen their schools.
You are welcome to contact FNESC and FNSA with your questions. Find the latest updates on our COVID-19 information page.