Dear families,
As you know, earlier this week, the Provincial Health Officer announced the 4-step plan to gradually lift current restrictions, including restrictions on personal and organized gatherings. Today, we received official clarification from the Ministry of Education that these changes do not impact the existing COVID-19 Operational and Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 settings, which will remain in place and must continue to be followed for the remainder of the school year.
The ministry has also provided the following additional guidance on school-organized graduation ceremonies, community-organized events, and private events or personal gatherings:
School-organized graduation ceremonies
School-organized K-12 graduation ceremonies must continue to follow the previously issued provincial K-12 guidance upon which our existing plans are based. This means that any upcoming graduation ceremonies your school has communicated with you about will proceed as planned, following existing guidelines.
Community-organized events & private events (not organized by the school)
Community-organized and private events must follow the requirements of the recently updated Provincial Health Officer Order on Gathering & Events. These include:
- A program for children & youth (which can include events/celebrations at a community centre). Requirements include but are not limited to:
- Up to 50 people total (including event staff/volunteers). No spectators.
- People maintain 2 metres from those outside of their household.
- Measures are put in place to avoid congregation.
- An outside, seated event (can include events such as group dinners). Requirements include but are not limited to:
- Up to 50 people total (including event staff/volunteers).
- People maintain 2 metres from those outside of their household.
- There is a chair available for every person and people remain seated except to obtain food or drink or to use the washroom.
Community-organized events must also have a COVID-19 Safety Plan.
Personal gatherings
For personal gatherings (e.g. those organized amongst families and friends), up to 10 people are allowed to gather outdoors. Up to 5 people or 2 households can gather indoors. Learn more on BC’s Restart Plan web page.
I hope that you will find this information helpful, and that it will help you understand the different guidelines that apply to school-organized events and to community organized events and private events.
Sincerely,
Harry Dhillon
Superintendent of Schools