
WWS’ COVID-19 Updates*
*Most recent update: April 6, 2021
Stay at Home When Sick
Personal Daily Health Assessment
In September, BC CDC provided the following COVID-19 clarification for how to evaluate for new sickness symptoms:
Students and staff should stay at home when new symptoms of illness develop. The key symptoms to watch for are fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, loss of sense of small or taste, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- If the parent indicates that the symptoms are consistent with a previously diagnosed health condition and not unusual for that individual, they may return to school.
- For mild symptoms without fever, monitor at home for 24 hours. If symptoms improve, they can return to school without further assessment. If symptoms include fever or if after 24 hours symptoms remain unchanged or worsen, seek a health assessment (call 8-1-1, see a primary care provider or go to a Covid-19 testing centre.)
Parents will be required to fill out an agreement form (before the start of the school year), acknowledging and agreeing to perform daily health checks at your home. This is to lessen the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak during the school year.
Parents must agree to review the guidelines of Daily Home Screening for their child(ren)’s health each day that their child(ren) attends school as per the details below.
Ongoing WWS Sickness Policy
Do not send your child to school if you suspect he or she may be ill, and has exhibited any of the following signs or symptoms:
- An elevated temperature of 100 degrees or more during the last 24 hours.
- Vomiting within the last 24 hours.
- Repeated episodes of diarrhea within the last 24 hours.
- Chills, loss of appetite, unusual fatigue, and/or lingering headache.
- A significant amount of nasal discharge, particularly if the discharge is yellow or greenish in color.
- A persistent cough.
- A significant sore throat.
- An earache.
Parents also have the responsibility to alert the school as to the reason why they are keeping the student home. In Early Years, students are required to stay home for a minimum of 24-48hrs (depending on the illness) and to also have a medical note (depending on the illness for their return).
Here is our WWS Ongoing Sickness Policy (revised February 2021) for your information.
Close Contact with a COVID-19 case
Anyone who is identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 will be notified directly by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and asked to isolate for 14 days from their last date of possible exposure. If you do not receive a call, your risk of exposure is considered to be low; VCH does not recommended that you self-isolate and you can continue with normal daily activities.
Continued daily self-monitoring for common cold, influenza, or Covid-19 related symptoms is requested of all WWS families and staff.
Expectations for School Community
Visitors at School
Visitors will be welcome with an appointment only. Visitors will not be allowed in our classrooms.
If you need to drop something off for your child, please check in with Reception in advance and leave the items outside of reception where they will be collected. Please follow these guidelines when visiting the school.
1. Seek approval for the visit from the person to be visited.
2. Complete a self-health check
3. Arrive wearing a face covering
4. Sanitize hands upon entry
5. Sign in
6. Comply with social distancing norms.Student Absence Reporting
WWS has implemented changes to its existing prolonged absence process in response to covid-19.
1. Precautionary/Short term Absence (absence up to 3 days)
2. Extended Absence Program Application Form (3 days + requires form)
3. Transitional Absence Application Form 2020-2021 (14 days + form)There are a variety of reasons a student may be away from school. Please read WWS Absence Programs to understand which category your child’s absences fall into. Please note that all absences of three days or more require an absence form to be completed and sent to Reception. All absences should be reported to Reception daily ideally prior to 9am.
TRAVELLING OUTSIDE OF B.C. or CANADA?
In addition to B.C. Health, Health Canada is advising against all non-essential travel outside of Canada (including the United States). If you do travel outside of Canada, you are asked to self-isolate (stay away from school or work) for 14 days upon your return to B.C. If you plan on being outside of Canada during the school year, please contact Reception to update the school of any travel plans.
Pick-up & Drop Off Procedures
STAGGERED PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF TIMES & ZONES:
1. Remain at your vehicle while dropping off/picking-up your child(ren) for Grade school and up.
2. Maintain a 2-metre physical distance from others when walking/biking; and stick to designated traffic flow paths.Pick-up and Drop-off Zones Map
Kindergarten – Grade 5 – Drop-off between 8:20-8:30am / Pick-up between 3:00-3:10pm
Grade 6 + – Drop-off between 8:30-8:40am / Pick-up between 3:10-3:20pmLittle Cedars – Children can be walked to their classroom and dropped off between 8:20-8:30am. Please walk in the designated area. Children are to be picked up BY 3pm at the latest, please. Pick-ups after 3pm will be considered late, and our late fee policy will apply.
LATE ARRIVALS: Parents of Kindergarten-Grade 3 students who arrive late should accompany their child to Reception and wait outside. Your child will be checked in and accompanied to his/her classroom. Grade 4+ students who arrive late should check in at Reception independently prior to going to class.
PLAYGROUND UNAVAILABLE AFTER SCHOOL: After dismissal, children should not play on the playground or school grounds. These changes are intended to minimize exposure to both staff and your children during COVID-19.
Meetings, Field Trips & School Events
For this year, field trips and outdoor education High School group semester trips will be planned with the expectation that if circumstances change for Provincial Health guidelines (beyond our control), they may be cancelled or rescheduled at any time.
Most families will hear from their teacher through email in advance of any school events that may affect their student. Parent meetings will be scheduled for Zoom conference online only, as well as Parent/Teacher conferences for this year.
Expectations in Class
Learning Cohorts
At WWS we will have three learning pods. Classes will not be combined.
Learning pods are simply to reduce student contact during transitions, traffic flow and with teachers. For more specific info., please see WWS Stage 2 Learning Pod Information
Masks at School & Classrooms
Important Update Tuesday April 6, 2021:
On the advice of Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C’s Provincial Health Officer and regarding her most recent health order as of March 29, 2021:
1. All staff will wear masks INDOORS except for when they are eating.
2. All students from Grade 4-12 will wear masks INDOORS except when they are eating.
3. Grades K-3 are encouraged to wear masks INDOORS but the decision to do so is left to the caregiver.
4. Students and Staff do not have to wear masks if they are unable to tolerate them for behavioral or health reason
Please note: The decision regarding individual requirements when choosing to wear a mask INDOORS OR OUTDOORS is a private and personal one that will be respected.
More details on updated policies for mask wearing from April 6.
School Supplies & Food
New guidelines are in place for disposing of classroom garbage, recycling and organics in order to limit waste collection and protect the health and safety of our students, teachers and staff. ALL students will be asked to “pack-out” what they “pack-in”.
No sharing of clothing, food or supplies will be allowed at this time. Please clean up after yourself in the classroom.
Extra Cleaning Protocols
The school will take extra care with Covid-19 Facilities Hygiene procedures including cleaning and disinfection processes, with particular attention to common surfaces during this heightened situation. Additional cleaning of common surfaces by faculty/staff is happening at regular intervals throughout the school day and the evening cleaning crew is using a more significant disinfectant protocol as recommended by the health authorities.
As well, all faculty, staff and students are required to maintain appropriate hand washing and sanitizing protocols upon entering the building and throughout the day.
Child Unwell at School
If a student becomes unwell at school, parents will be immediately called to pick up their child as soon as possible.
BC Education & VCH (Sea to Sky) Updates
General Health & Communication Guidelines
Good Health Practices
How can I keep from getting sick and spreading COVID-19?
Vancouver Coastal Health recommends the following preventive actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Maintain a distance of 2 meters for person-to-person conversations.
- Wear a mask indoors. In B.C., it is now required to wear a non-medical face mask in public indoor spaces, but please view details above regarding masks for students.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water when your hands are visibly dirty.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick and complete self-monitoring/health assessments daily.
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash hands.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Schools as "Controlled" Environments
How ‘safe’ is a school environment?
Infection prevention and exposure control measures help create safe environments by reducing the spread of communicable diseases like COVID-19. These are more effective in “controlled” environments where multiple measures of various effectiveness can be routinely and consistently implemented. Schools are considered a “controlled” environment by public health because:
- Schools include a consistent grouping of people.
- Schools have robust illness policies for students and staff.
- Schools can implement effective personal practices that can be consistently reinforced and are followed by most people in the setting (e.g. diligent hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, etc.).
- Schools can implement a variety of health and safety measures (e.g., enhanced cleaning and disinfecting practices, using outdoor space for learning activities, grouping students and staff in learning groups to limit in-person interactions, implementing staggered schedules, etc.)
The Hierarchy for Infection Prevention and Exposure Control Measures for Communicable Disease describes measures that are taken to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in schools. Control measures at the top are more effective and protective than those at the bottom. By implementing a combination of measures at each level, the risk of COVID-19 is substantially reduced.
COVID-19 school exposure communication
What will happen if there is a confirmed COVID-19 exposure at school?
WWS will heed the advice of provincial public health officials if a student or faculty member is confirmed to have been at school during an infectious period of COVID-19. If an exposure risk is determined to be valid, then public health will direct the school to communicate any recommended suggestions to students and staff. Public Health will attempt to preserve private information of individuals or families involved, unless required for contact tracing.
Individual parents, guardians, faculty or staff are not authorized to provide any public statements about potential or confirmed COvid-19 cases unless directed to do so from VCH.
For more details on school exposures or any questions related to Covid-19, please visit Vancouver Coastal Health’s website.


2 important practices to stop the spread in schools
- Students and staff who are ill with respiratory illness symptoms (fever, cough, fatigue, and/or muscle aches) must stay home from school. If your child is not feeling well, we ask that you keep them home so that they can rest and recover. As always, remember to inform the school of the absence.
- Prevent and control respiratory viruses with a consistent practice of good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene. Good respiratory etiquette includes covering the mouth and nose during coughing or sneezing with a tissue or a flexed elbow and disposing of used tissues in a plastic-lined waste container, followed by hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is the washing of hands with plain soap and water, which is effective at removing visible soil as well as viruses.
BC Education’s Learning Stages during COVID-19

(*Updated Aug. 25, 2020)
Whistler Waldorf is currently in Stage 2 of BC’s Ministry of Education – COVID 19 Stages of Learning model.
(Schools will enter Stage 2 in September 2020).
Stage 2: Full-time in class with Learning Groups.
- Classes resume in-school for all grades in learning cohort model.
Whistler Waldorf Stage 2 Return to School Slideshow – full info for Sept 9 return
WWS Stage 2 Learning Pod Information
COVID-19 Public Health Office’s Guidance for K-12 School Settings
Stage 3: In-class & remote learning.
Full-time instruction for:
- Children of essential service workers
- Students with disabilities/diverse abilities
- Students who require additional supports
In-class instruction for all other students for the maximum time possible within learning group limits and density targets.
Self-directed and remote learning supports in-class instruction.
Stage 4: Remote Learning with Exceptions
Full-time instruction still provided for:
- Children of essential service workers
- Students with disabilities/diverse abilities
- Students who require additional supports
In-class instruction for all other students for the maximum time possible within learning group limits and density targets. Self-directed and remote learning supports in-class instruction.
Extended Fillable Absence Program & Application Form
Transitional Absence Fillable Application Form 2020-2021
Updated! Covid-19 Facilities Hygiene Procedures (2020/08/21) – These new procedure guidelines outline how WWS will be mitigating and managing students’ with respect to hygiene and facility use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Updated! Covid-19 On-Site Policy for Students– This new policy is to ensure that all reasonable measures are taken to ensure a safe working and learning environment for Whistler Waldorf faculty, staff, families and students and to ensure clarity relating to on-site attendance.
WWS Communicable Diseases Reporting – If your child has a serious communicable disease, you must notify the school so we can comply with reporting requirements. The school will follow Vancouver Coastal Health’s advice on control measures and further investigate the situation as required. Proper exclusion is one of the most important measures in controlling an outbreak.
Removal of a Student from School for Health Reasons -Details on why the removal of a student is important and notice that the school must continue to make available an educational program for any student removed or excluded from school for health or safety reasons.
(Last updated August 25, 2020)
Licensed Group Childcare services for the EYC & Little Cedars during COVID
Our Early Years Centre in Spring Creek has been providing childcare services to families over the past few months. During this time, we have implemented and continued to refine many of our Early Years Centre Spring Creek Covid-19 Program Changes and Little Cedars Covid-19 Program Changes. These protocols reflect provincial guidelines, Vancouver Coastal Health orders, and Canadian Child Care Provider’s best practices. Whistler Waldorf School Early Years staff will continue to take all reasonable precautions for health and safety whilst providing care for your children.
Past news & resources from BC Schools & Health Authorities
Last Updated Sept. 17/2020
- BC CDC Health Assessment Update for COVID-19 – Sept. 17
- Plan to bring K-12 students safely back to class full-time – July 29
- June school restart sets the stage for Sept. – June 25
- COVID-19 Vancouver Coastal Health Schools – May 21
- Minister of Education discusses K-12 restart plan – May 15
- BC’s Restart Plan Including BC school news – May 6
- Mental health resources for children – April 17
- FAQs for Continuity of Learning K-12 – April 1
*Given the complex and rapidly evolving situation, we encourage you to visit Vancouver Coastal Health for the most detailed and up to date information on COVID-19 in B.C.
For online distance learning resources with helpful education learning links, view WWS’s Fun Links & Resources for Parents
For specific details on WWS E-learning or distance learning plans and links, view WWS’ E-learning Updates