School Safety Protocols

March 24, 2022

We are excited and hopeful at the Province’s gradual removal of more COVID health & safety mandates. Click on the following tabs for updates to our VCS School Safety Protocols!

Additional Resources: (links)

• Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings
• BC’s Back-to-School Plan
• VCS 2021-22 On-Campus Safety Protocols – March 2022 Update

Start Time (M/W/F)

• Elementary Campus (EC): 8:20am bell
• Secondary Campus (SC): 8:30am bell

Start Time (Tu/Th)

• Elementary & Secondary: 8:55am bell

Entrance & Exit Plans

• Elementary Campus:

  • Preschool to Grade 4: External door use in each classroom
  • Grade 5 & 5/6: West gym entrance (lakeside)
  • Grade 6: Enter through portable

• Secondary Campus:

  • No designated entrances/exits

Mid-day Breaks

• Elementary – Staggered Breaks

  • Break 1:
    • K-2 → OUT 10:20-10:40, EAT 10:40-10:55
    • 3-6 → EAT 10:25-10:40, OUT 10:40-11:00
  • Break 2:
    • K-2 → OUT 11:55-12:25, EAT 12:25-12:40
    • 3-6 → EAT 12:10-12:25, OUT 12:25-12:55

• Secondary – Shared breaks (no cohort requirement)

  • AM Break (Mo/Tu/Th/Fr): 10:05-10:15
  • LUNCH (Mo-Fr): 11:40-12:15
  • PM Break: 1:35-1:45

• Designated rooms/zones (lunch & breaks):

  • Lunches can be eaten in common areas: hallways, Commons, lobby, etc

• Wednesday Chapel Schedule:

  • High School: 10:00-10:40
  • Middle School: 10:55-11:35
  • Chapels will be held virtually (or with a 1-class in-person limit).

Day-End Staggered Dismissal:

• Primary (K-2): 2:50pm
• Intermediate (3-6):2:55pm
• Middle School & High School (7-12): 3:05pm

Upon dismissal, students report to parent in parking lot.

2:50-3:15: teachers supervise & support dismissal & outdoor transition.

Pick-up:

• Elementary Campus Students Only: 2:50-3:05pm
• Secondary Campus Students Only: 3:05-3:15pm

For parents with both EC/SC students: please arrive at the SC pick-up time. Parents are encouraged to vacate the campus as soon as possible at pick up time to avoid crowding and alleviate traffic congestion.

SC After School:

• Campus will close at 3:20pm – students should exit to transportation.
• Supervised spaces will be provided for students who have staff permission to stay later (ex. athletics, after-school clubs).

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Traffic Flow and Parking

Our traffic flow and parking plan from 2020-21 will remain in effect for this coming year. To assist with the flow of traffic this year, we have made the following enhancements:

• Parking lot lines re-painted (lane markings, cross walks, parking spaces): Please follows the markings as indicated in the diagram below
• Sidewalk widened at waiting area: To increase student safety during drop-off/pick-up, we have widened the sidewalk thanks to a very generous donation by a VCS family

VCS Parking Lot

• Lane 1: designated lane to the Preschool and K-2/Appointment Parking Spots
• Lane 2: drop-off/pick-up ‘staging’ lane and for merging in/out of the drop-off/pick-up lane
• Lane 3: drop-off/pick-up ‘staging’ lane

Please review the following information regarding our parking/pick-up/drop-off procedures:

• Parents with EC only children are at campus for pick-up between 2:50-3:00pm.
  • Kindergarten – parents pick-up students at exterior door
  • Grade 1-2 – option to either have children proceed directly to parking lot or have parents pick up at playground
• Parents with at least one SC child do not enter the pickup lane before 3:00pm.
• Cars in the pick-up lane always pull as far forward as they can before stopping along the curb, and move forward as soon as a gap opens in front of them.
• Students are diligent to watch and wait in a place where they can see that their parent has arrived in the pick-up lane.
• Please have children exit/enter the vehicle on the passenger side whenever possible.
• Never leave your vehicle unattended in any of the lanes.
• Do not stop on crosswalks at any time.
• When exiting the parking lot, please turn right between 8:00AM-3:30PM.
• Cell phones should never be used while driving.
• Traffic attendants will help direct vehicles & pedestrians during drop-off and pick-up.
• Students who are waiting in the upper lot are to remain on the sidewalk and not play on the grass hillside.
  

Parking Spaces

• Please remember that parking stalls are reserved after school for Gr. PreK-2 parents until 3:00pm.
• *NEW*: After 3:00pm, stalls are available for any parents/guests as needed since the vast majority of K-2 parents have by then been able to leave with their children.

Parent/Visitor Access

• Per standard procedure, all parents/visitors are required to report to the office upon entry. VCS does not need to keep a list of the date, names and contact information of visitors for communicable disease prevention purposes.
• The decision to wear a mask or face covering is a personal choice. A person’s choice is to be supported and respected.

Community Use

After hours community use of facilities is allowed per relevant local, regional, provincial and federal public health recommendations and orders.