Dear parents/guardians,
Over the past few weeks, the number of COVID-19 cases in our province has significantly increased. Unlike the last school year, Alberta Health Services (AHS) is no longer confirming positive cases in schools or working with schools to identify close contacts.
We are committed to remaining flexible in our response to this pandemic and we understand that families would appreciate receiving notifications of positive cases of COVID-19 in our schools.
As a result, starting on Monday, Sept. 13, schools will begin providing notifications when families self-report an AHS-confirmed case of COVID-19 to their school. If families report a positive case to the school, you are providing consent for the school to send out a notice to specific classes associated with the self-reported case, as well as a general notice to the school community at the end of the school day. Notices will not be sent over the weekend.
To protect the privacy of individuals, we are not able to provide any additional information about positive cases. If you have questions regarding contact tracing or reporting, please connect with AHS.
It is important that your child stay home when sick, but it is also important for them to attend school if they are feeling well. As close contacts are no longer required to isolate, if you choose to keep your child at home, it will be marked as an unexcused absence.
If there is a 10 per cent or greater student absentee rate that includes similar symptoms, AHS may declare an outbreak. Families will be informed if an outbreak is declared at their school and these notices will be posted to the school website.
To ensure you receive all the important updates and information from your school, please ensure your school(s) have your correct email address on file.
You can learn more about COVID-19 symptoms and testing from the Government of Alberta website.
For additional information on AHS' response to COVID-19 in schools, please see: Guidance for Respiratory Illness Prevention and Management in Schools.
I thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we all work together to ensure our schools continue to support student and staff well-being.
Sincerely,
Christopher Usih
Chief Superintendent of Schools
