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Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:

Thank you for your patience during the seven-day school pause.  As it has become increasingly clear that the closure of schools across the province is continuing indefinitely. Our first priority continues to be health and safety for students, staff and families.

During this time, Regina Public Schools has been working with the Saskatchewan Education Response Planning Team (ERPT), to develop a supplemental learning plan that will provide opportunities for students to continue learning. Please follow this link for a current document from the ERPT addressed to Saskatchewan Families.

That plan is now ready to roll out.

Starting Monday, March 30, 2020, school staff will begin to provide details of education services and resources that will be available to Regina Public Schools students. You can expect to receive information directly from teachers and school administrators about available resources that we will be providing students. For your benefit, we will also be posting this material on our website and school websites, when possible.

We ask for your patience. Staff will do their best to contact students and families in a timely manner.

We do not expect schools to be re-opened in the foreseeable future.

My commitment to you, as Director of Education, is that we will strive to provide students and families with ongoing support and resources. Please look for further information to be shared on Monday, March 30^th, 2020 and beyond.

In health, and in learning.

Greg Enion
Director of Education

During this period of school closure and social distancing due to COVID-19, it is very important that all of us take the sometimes difficult steps to not expose ourselves and others to unnecessary risk.

The COVID-19 virus can linger on surfaces such as plastic and metal for several days and could potentially be transmitted by playing in school playgrounds and touching playground equipment that others have touched. This includes slides, swings, teeter-totters, jungle gyms and other equipment. None of this equipment is being cleaned or sanitized while schools are closed and can pose a health risk to anyone that uses them.

Please do not use this play equipment until further notice.

It is difficult to tell a young person that they cannot play, that is perhaps one of the hardest parts of the current requirements to practice social distancing. We are confident, however that all our school families and communities can help young people find other ways to play, to exercise, and to learn.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.  

March 20, 2020 -- The Saskatchewan Education Response Planning Team just posted this letter for all parents and families to read. Please review the document here.

MARCH 19, 2020 -- As of Friday, March 20, 2020, all classes in Regina Public Schools will be suspended indefinitely and school buildings will be closed until further notice. Please continue to check our website and twitter feed (@regpublicschool) for news and updates.

Our utmost priority is that all of our staff, students and families remain safe and healthy!

March 18, 2020 -- Message from Director of Education, Greg Enion.

Over the past few days, our everyday routines of school, work and learning have been first disrupted and now cancelled. As many of us are parents, we too have had many of the feelings of uncertainty and concern.

The absence of information often creates anxiety. To keep all our school families informed. I would like to share some information that your school division does have. Please know that we do not yet have any information relating to what's next for students, especially those requiring credits, or who are graduating this year. My promise to you is that we will share this information, the moment we have it.

With respect to our schools:

• As a response to the Government of Saskatchewan's direction for all school staff to take a six-day pause, all our schools will be closed from Friday, March 20, 2020 until further notice.
• During this time, there will be no school staff on premises and all doors, including those for in-school building childcare providers, will be locked.
• Our school division office will be closed to the public from Friday, March 20, 2020 until further notice.
• Select staff, including myself and the management team, will be working at the division office at this time ensuring that critical functions, such as IT, HR, Finance and employee payroll continue to operate on behalf of all Regina Public School employees.
• Please do not visit the school division office, but if you have any questions, we will do our best to answer them. Contact info@rbe.sk.ca or call 306 523-3000. We will have staff answering telephones and email. However, we do ask that your first refer to www.reginapublicschools.ca and to Twitter @regpublicschool for updates and information.
• For your information, our school-based staff have been asked to stay home, as directed by the government for the six-day pause period.
• For your further information, and to ease any concerns that you may have, we have made accommodations for all Regina Public Schools employees who because of personal, health, or family reasons cannot attend to duties as assigned. We would like all school families to understand that the health and mental wellness of all employees is critical to our school division and to our ability continue to provide excellent education services to our students in the future.

What continues to be important to us is the health and wellness of everyone in our school family. This includes students, parents, guardians, and extended family.

Please take the time, when and if you can, to spend time with your families. Engage in activities that provide comfort and peace and balance. Also, please heed the advice of professionals wash your hands often, practice social distancing, contact 811 or otherwise, if directed for health concerns.

Together, I am confident that we will persevere and all of us, especially students will have stories and experiences to tell that will inspire future generations.

Here are some resources that I hope you will find helpful.

First and foremost, the Government of Saskatchewan COVID-19 information link.
The Regina Public Schools website health and wellness page.

Please consider the following ideas to support you and your families in the coming days and weeks.

• Practice Self-Compassion.  Even those who don't typically struggle with anxiety may experience increased anxiety during uncertain times, so don't be hard on yourself if you are feeling more worried or anxious than usual.
• Practice Self-Care.  It remains important to engage in healthy and relaxing activities that you enjoy.  Consider a wide variety of fun, intellectually stimulating, and physically active options such as reading for professional growth or leisure, cooking, practicing yoga, exercise, meditation, and spending time in nature.
• Stay Connected.  Stay connected with family and friends.
• Establish and maintain routines.  Keeping similar routines and developing healthy new routines helps provide predictability and a sense of safety for you and your family.

Supportive Resources

• Canadian Mental Health Association
• Anxiety Canada
• Kidshelpphone
• I am stronger

Regina Public Schools will strive to keep all school families informed. We appreciate your trust, your patience and your support and we look forward to seeing our students smiling faces back in the classrooms and playgrounds as soon as is possible.

Keep healthy!