Preparation

Consider the following sample strategies to support your school board/school planning for COVID-19 safety in curricular (health and physical education) activities:

• Guiding Documents and Direction: Be aware of the COVID-19 safety requirements and recommendations specific to curricular (health and physical education) activities, including:
  • school board policies and procedures related to COVID-19 safety for school-based physical activities;
  • the safety requirements and learning expectations from the Health and Physical Education curriculum;
  • the curricular activity/sport pages (elementary, secondary) of the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) for the minimum requirements for safety standards; and
  • outside service providers being used as part of the curricular (health and physical education) program (for example, local ski resort, tennis courts).
• COVID-19 safety procedures/direction: School boards and local public health units are encouraged to establish a process to discuss and inform COVID-19 safety procedures for schools. Considerations may include:
  • COVID-19 safety procedures for community facilities that are used as part of a health and physical education program (for example, outdoor education facilities, community facilities);
  • strategies and protective measures (for example, distancing, masking, cohorting) that should be used for different types of activities (low-contact, high-contact) and locations (indoors, outdoors);
  • strategies to establish a culture of safety mindedness through the identification of potential risks and risk treatment strategies;
  • alignment of COVID-19 safety practices with current safety standards being used;
  • inspection of equipment/facilities that may not have been recently used; and
  • additional COVID-19 safety concerns that might be identified throughout the implementation of health and physical education programs.
• Student Needs: COVID-19 may impact the full participation of some students in health and physical education. Considerations may include:
  • a plan to support a safe return to curricular (health and physical education) activities that is developmentally appropriate for students (for example, physical conditioning, skill development, game skills and strategies);
  • students’ feelings about returning to physical education and their readiness to participate;
  • a process that includes opportunities for students to increase confidence, readiness to participate, and feel physically and emotionally prepared; and
  • strategies necessary for students with medical conditions that can be affected by COVID-19 (for example, asthma, diabetes, anaphylaxis, allergies).
• Consistent Practices: consistent COVID-19 safety practices and procedures for health and physical education can support a safe learning environment. Considerations may include:
  • working collaboratively within the school (for example, school administrator, HPE teachers, secondary Department Heads) to identify the types of activities that will be included in the health and physical education program and the specific safety practices;
  • develop and communicate COVID-19 safety practices for each facility (for example, safe entering and exiting, availability of hand washing/sanitizing facilities, use of change rooms);
  • safety practices that limit the transmission of COVID-19 (for example, cohorting, ventilation, masking, physical distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene);
  • ongoing opportunities for staff and students to identify concerns and provide input related to the COVID-19 safety practices; and
  • engage students throughout the process (for example, discussions, decision making process, ongoing input).
• Health and Physical Education Curriculum: align student learning opportunities related to COVID-19 safety with expectations from the health and physical education curriculum. Considerations may include:
  • Active Living: personal safety during physical activities;
  • Healthy Living: applying health knowledge and making decisions about personal health and well-being;
  • (For elementary) Social Emotional Learning skills: managing stress through physical activity;
  • (For secondary) Living Skills: physical activity as a coping, stress management strategy.

Communication

Ongoing communication is an important part of establishing a COVID-19 safe learning environment for curricular (health and physical education) activities. Considerations may include:

• Individuals responsible for the implementation of Health and Physical Education (school administrator, teachers and secondary school department Heads): maintaining an ongoing dialogue will help to reinforce the safety practices and maintain a COVID-19 safe learning environment. Topics may include:
  • student and parent/guardian concerns regarding returning to physical education and strategies to address concerns;
  • administrator/staff concerns regarding the implementation of health and physical education activities;
  • potential impact of the new COVID-19 safety measures (processes and procedures) on the delivery of the health and physical education program;
  • current practices that are effective and challenges that staff and students are experiencing;
  • additional resources/supports needed for occasional teachers (for example, processes and procedures specific to the COVID-19 safety for health and physical education programs); and
  • the procedures that will be followed for screening, contact tracing, and when an individual tests positive for COVID-19 (for example outside yoga instructor, climbing wall staff).
• Students: school administrators, teachers, secondary school department heads should work together to engage students and establish ongoing communication. Topics may include:
  • exit/entrance and line-up procedures and the direction to enter and exit rooms or facilities with more than one door to avoid congregation.
  • roles and responsibilities related to COVID-19 safety (for example, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette)
  • strategies to communicate when students are concerned about their safety (for example, physically, emotionally and socially)
  • strategies to communicate any COVID-19 safety concerns.
• Parent/Guardians: school administrators, teachers and secondary school department heads should work together to establish ongoing communication with parents/guardians. Topics may include:
  • activity selection: the types of activities (low-contact and high-contact) that will be included as part of the physical education program and where they will be located (outdoors/indoors);
  • masking: the use of non-medical or cloth masks;
  • hydration: procedures for hydration (for example, use of personal water bottles, fountains); and
  • transportation (such as, buses, taxis, car-pooling): procedures for student transportation for curricular (health and physical education) activities that occur off-site (for example, cross country ski facility, community facilities).