Resources

Be aware of the requirements and information available to guide the planning of safe remote learning for physical education, including:

• local school board policies and procedures related to safety for COVID-19, physical education and remote learning (for example, cybersecurity, privacy);
• Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) for the minimum safety requirements in physical education;
• COVID-19 Considerations for Physical Education; and
• this Safety Considerations for Remote Learning in Physical Education section.

Students

Establish a process to get to know the students and to allow for parents/guardians to provide information that may impact full participation in remote physical education, including:

• feelings about returning to physical education, remote learning and their readiness to participate in physical education activities;
• medical information that may limit full participation in physical education (follow school board/school procedures/forms that allow parents/guardians to provide medical information), strategies to support appropriate levels of participation, and the plans to respond in case of an injury/emergency, including:
  • students with special education needs;
  • recent injuries (for example, concussion, broken bone); and
  • diagnosed medical conditions (for example, allergies, anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes).

School Board/Public Health Policies and Procedures

Be aware of school board/local public health unit policies, procedures and routines for school reopening, remote learning and physical education, including the use of personal protective strategies during at-home participation (for example, use of non-medical masks if activities take place in shared space (for example, public park, common room in an apartment), washing/sanitizing hands before and after activities).

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum

Be aware of safety requirements and learning expectations related to COVID-19 policies and practices and how they can be applied to a remote learning environment, including:

• strategies to establish and maintain a physically, socially and emotionally safe remote learning environment;
• strategies to establish and maintain privacy and cybersecurity during remote learning;
• communication of safety requirements to students, opportunities for students to practice and demonstrate safe practices, and where appropriate, modeling of safe practices;
• strategies to establish a culture of safety mindedness and identify ways to protect students before participation in any activities (identify risks and risk treatment strategies);
• strategies for students to communicate questions or concerns regarding safety during remote learning (for example, asynchronous check-ins, throughout synchronous learning); and
• (for elementary) connecting learning expectations with remote learning and COVID-19 safety (for example, Active Living: personal safety during physical activities, Healthy Living: applying health knowledge and making decisions about personal health and well-being; and the connected Social Emotional Learning skills: managing stress through physical activity).
• (for secondary) connecting learning expectations with remote learning and COVID-19 safety (for example, Active Living: personal safety during physical activities; Healthy Living: making connections to link personal health and well-being to others; and the connected Living Skills: communication skills).