COVID-19 15.9.2020

Thank you for your support and understanding over the first two weeks of the new school year as we have adapted to the fast changing situation relating to Covid-19. We would now like to update everyone on our current plans in relation to changing government guidance and the increased challenges being presented by rising Covid-19 infection rates in Czech Republic.

As of Tuesday 15th September are pleased to confirm that only one child and no teachers have tested positive for Covid across the whole school, including Kindergarten. We believe that our measures for protecting your children are proving effective, but we also want to keep working to reduce the chance of infection.

• Please follow our Covid-19 handbook guidance for keeping your children home in the event that they become sick. Follow this link to find the guidance. https://www.sunnycanadian.cz/cs/sunny/pro-studenty-a-rodice-zs/aktuality/zakladni-organizacni-pokyny-v-souvislosti-s-koronavirovou-situaci_1
• In line with government guidance, we are asking that any child who tests positive for Covid-19, remain at home until a second test at least 10 days after the first.

Online Learning:

• For any parent who is keeping their child home, must let the home room teacher know that you would like to move to online learning. This will start 8 working hours (a school working day) after you notify us so that teachers have time to prepare for switching their lessons into better online learning for your child. A Vice Principal will authorise teachers to go ahead.
• Parents can only request online learning if:
  • Your child has tested positive for Covid-19
  • Your child has a doctor’s note to state that they are sick and will be off school for more than three days
  • You already have a child who has tested positive and your other children must enter quarantine
• Government guidance requests that we focus as much as possible on outdoor learning. We will therefore take our lessons outside whenever we are able. These lessons cannot be delivered online for obvious reasons. We will notify you when a lesson is taking place outside.
• Online lessons will focus on academic subjects. 
  • In second stage and high school, all subjects except PE, art and music will usually be available online (teachers will let you know if they are moving a lesson outside to reduce the risk of infection). 
  • All work will always be available on Skola Online or Google Classroom depending on the working arrangements with the teacher. Students will be told where to find their classwork.
• If we have not been told in writing one working day before the absence that students will be learning online, our cameras and Google Meet videos will not be turned on. Please contact us if you were expecting to be notified and have not been.

Expectations of those attending online lessons: 

• You will participate fully in the lesson, including answering the teacher or working with others, if asked by the teacher.
• You will complete all work the teacher sets in the class, including homework, on time. We expect the same of you as any other student sitting in the class.
• All tests or assessments given in an online lesson will be discussed and graded as the teacher feels it fits best. 
• Students with permission to attend online who do not come to lessons will be marked absent

In further Covid-19 news, we have recently been listening to concerns shared by students, parents and staff about the mixing of students in our inside recreation areas; the Relax Zone and the Terrace. In response to these, changing advice from the Regional Hygiene Station and the growing number of Covid-19 case in and around Prague, we are changing arrangements for break times in 2nd Stage and High School at Sunny Canadian.

• From Wednesday 16th September onwards, the Relax Zone will be divided into individual zones for each of the 2nd Stage grades. Each grade will be allowed to use their area of the relax zone only. Each mini-zone will be kept 2m from the next. Grades will not mix during break times. All relax zone windows will also be kept open for ventilation. 
• High School students will no longer use the relax zone. They will be able to use the Student Club. library and a new relax zone in the lobby area around the library. Grades 4G4 and 4G3 will share the Student Club, as the senior grades in school. 4G2 will have use of the library during all breaks. 4G1 will be able to use the new downstairs relax zone. 
• We will also divide up the terrace area into Grade specific zones and ask the High School students to use only the gym or outdoor areas for physical activities during lunch times. All students will be able to use our outdoor terrace as usual.

Through these small changes, we hope to not only reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection, but also make sure that students are still able to take part in physical activity during their breaks. All students will also be supervised by duty staff, to ensure normal levels of safety.

We will inform all students of these relaxation changes on the morning of Wednesday 16th September, just before they come into effect. Please explain them to your children at home, so they are double prepared and understand that all changes are for their own well being. 

We look forward to continuing to provide the safest, best possible learning experience to every single one of our students, in school or at home. Thank you again for all of your support as we all face unprecedented challenges in education. Please work with us to help us to achieve this and to make this school year successful for everyone.

Please note: Changes for First Stage students are different to those from second stage students. An update for First stage will follow 16/9/2020 morning.