Sample Principal Checklist – Principal/Designate Responsibilities
This sample checklist is intended to serve as a guide for stakeholders to create a checklist that aligns with the policies and procedures in their respective school division/school.
Medical Information
Establish a process for the collection and sharing of student medical information with all teachers, coaches, intramural supervisors, etc. The collection and sharing of medical information must align with school division and Provincial privacy policies.
The collection and sharing of student medical information must be done at the beginning of the school year and throughout the school year as needed for students with medical conditions to participate safely in curricular, intramural, and interschool activities.
Consult the Sample Curricular Parent/Guardian Letter and Sample Curricular Medical Information and Acknowledgement of Elements of Risk Form/Sample Interschool Parent/Guardian Letter and Sample Interschool Medical Information and Consent to Participate Form/Sample Intramural Parent/Guardian Letter and Sample Intramural Medical Information and Consent to Participate Form.
Be familiar with the school division/school protocols for the management and emergency procedures of prevalent medical conditions and others (for example, anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy) during physical activities.
Concussion
Be knowledgeable of school division’s concussion policy and protocols and their impact on a student’s return to school and return to physical activities.
First Aid
Develop a school First Aid Action Plan and First Aid Emergency Response. Consult the appropriate activity safety standards for the First Aid qualifications.
Provide readily accessible, fully-stocked, first aid kit(s) on school site and where appropriate a portable first aid kit (which includes a copy of the school division’s tool to identify a suspected concussion).
Consult the Sample Tool to Identify a Suspected Concussion.
Ensure first aid kits are regularly inspected and that supplies are replenished as needed.
Equipment
Follow school division procedures and/or develop school procedures for the following:
A documented inspection of the gymnasium equipment.
Consult the Sample Safety Checklist – Gymnasium Equipment.
The removal of damaged/unsafe equipment from use and/or the repair of broken equipment.
A budget for the purchase of the required safety equipment as outlined within the MPASS activity pages.
Ensure that school purchased gymnasium equipment meets the standards as outlined within the MPASS activity pages.
Ensure that the purchase of new or used fitness equipment, or donated fitness equipment meets the standards as outlined within MPASS documents
Facilities
Follow the school or school division procedures for regular inspection of facilities (for example, gymnasium, fields, multi-purpose rooms, fitness rooms) along with equipment storage facilities and change rooms.
Follow the school division procedures for reporting damaged facilities to the custodian and/or school division maintenance department.
Set procedures for removing/isolating hazards/hazardous situations.
Set procedures to inform students that the use of gymnasium, activity areas, and equipment is prohibited without appropriate teacher supervision.
Note: Gymnasium and fitness room doors must be locked when not in use. Signage must be placed on the doors indicating that students must not use the gymnasium and fitness rooms unless supervised. This should be communicated verbally to students as well.
Clothing/Footwear/Jewelry
Be familiar with the requirements for appropriate clothing, footwear and jewelry during physical activity.
Consult Clothing, Footwear, and Jewelry.
Environmental Considerations
Be familiar with the school division/school procedures related to student participation in outdoor physical activity, including when to modify outdoor physical activity and/or cancel outdoor physical activity depending on the weather and insects.
Consult Weather.
Outdoor Education Activities (For Example, Canoeing)
Be familiar with school division/school procedures for approving outdoor education activities (for example, procedures for swim tests for water-based activities.)
Outside Activity Provider
Be familiar with school division procedure for accessing an outside activity provider, whether they come to the school (on-site) and/or whether as part of a field trip (off-site)
Consult Outside Activity Providers.
Substitute Teacher
Be familiar with school division policy/procedures/qualifications or develop school procedures for substitute teachers (when a teacher replaces a teacher instructing physical activities).
When developing procedures consider:
- Inform the substitute teacher of the physical activity lesson;
- Provide the pertinent Manitoba Physical Activity Safety in Schools activity pages;
- Identify students with medical conditions (their Plan of Care), physical activity limitations, and those that require ready access to medications (for example, asthma inhalers);
- Provide the school’s first aid emergency response plan for injuries/illnesses; and
- Provide the school’s protocol for the supervision of change rooms.
Intramural Activities
Develop safety expectations for the school intramural program.
Develop an approval process for intramural supervisors (for example, qualifications/experience). The approval process should include verifying their knowledge, experiences and qualifications (where appropriate).
Interschool Sports
Develop safety expectations for the school’s interschool program.
Develop an approval process for coaches. The approval process should include verifying their knowledge, experiences and qualifications (where appropriate). Consult the appropriate activity safety standard for the minimum coaching qualification.
Follow the school division procedure for approving non-teacher/volunteer coaches.
Provide an appropriate coach liaison for all non-teacher/volunteer coaches.
Consult Coach/Coach Liaison.
