RE: First Day and Air Quality Update
Dear families,
Our first day of learning has come and gone and I am extremely pleased to see and hear the stories of student’s successful return to schools. I also want to thank you for your continued patience and understanding during these past few weeks while we navigated through our return to school plan.
Today, as you know, we were faced with significant wildfire smoke in our region. The Province’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) was set at 10+ this morning, as a result, we decided to keep students and staff indoors during school hours.
Tomorrow’s AQHI is expected to be 10. If that is the case, schools will remain open and we will once again ask schools to keep students indoors. Please keep the following health information for these current conditions in mind:
- At risk population: Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion.
- General population: Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors especially if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation.
I heard from few people who were concerned about their children attending school today. I hope that you can find some comfort in knowing that our Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, shared that it is “perfectly safe for people to be in school”.
Sincerely,
Scott Saywell
Superintendent/CEO
