Preparation

Consider the following sample strategies to support your school board/school planning for COVID-19 safety in intramural activities:

• Guiding Documents and Direction: Be aware of the COVID-19 safety requirements and recommendations specific to intramural activities, including:
  • school board policies and procedures related to COVID-19 safety for school-based physical activities;
  • the intramural 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 intramural program (for example local ski resort, provincial park).
• 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 to offer intramural activities (for example, local ski resort);
  • 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 intramural programs.
• Student Needs: COVID-19 may impact the full participation of some students in intramural activities. Considerations may include:
  • a plan to support a safe return to intramural activities that is developmentally appropriate for students (for example, physical conditioning, skill development, game skills and strategies);
  • students’ feelings about returning to intramural activities 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 intramural activities can support a safe learning environment. Considerations may include:
  • working collaboratively within the school (for example, school administrator, HPE teachers, secondary department heads, intramural supervisors) to identify the types of activities that will be included in the intramural 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).

Communication

Ongoing communication is an important part of establishing a COVID-19 safe learning environment for intramural activities. Considerations may include:

• Individuals responsible for the implementation of intramural activities (school administrator, teachers, secondary school department heads, and intramural supervisors): 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 intramural activities and strategies to address concerns;
  • administrator/staff/intramural supervisor concerns regarding the implementation of intramural activities;
  • potential impact of the new COVID-19 safety measures (processes and procedures) on the delivery of intramural activities;
  • current practices that are effective and challenges that staff, intramural supervisors and students are experiencing; and
  • the procedures that will be followed for screening, contact tracing, and when an individual tests positive for COVID-19 (for example, intramural supervisor, outside self-defence instructor).
• Students: school administrators, teachers, secondary school department heads, and intramural supervisors 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, secondary school department heads, and intramural supervisors 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 intramural activities 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 intramural activities that occur off-site (for example, ski club, ice hockey, broomball).