BMHS NEWS:
BMHS RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN
Welcome Back Barons! Please review the detailed plan so we can all work together to do our best to keep our school and community safe.
Schools, in consultation with Public Health, Department of Education and Early Childhood Education and our Regional Centre for Education, have updated our Enhanced Public Health measures in response to minimizing the risks of COVID-19 in our schools. Our students will continue to be our top priority as we deliver education with additional safety measures in place. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that these measures be adhered to, and the core public health measures followed. See https://backtoschool.ednet.ns.ca/public-health-guidance so that we ensure a safe as possible learning environment for our students and staff.
Currently, students will return to in person learning on Monday, January 17th following the full opening model outlined in Nova Scotia’s Back to School Plan.
Our current plan is subject to modification as it reflects our present situation. The guiding principles are to reduce movement throughout the school and reduce the mixing of students outside of their cohort. Many of these measures have been in place last year, and before the holidays, so students are familiar with the expectations and change of routines. We will be revisiting these routines and reviewing some of the core public health measures with all students first thing Monday morning. It is subject to change as things evolve and directives modified. We ask that you please exercise patience, understanding, cooperation and flexibility as we maneuver through this together.
Morning Arrival of Staff and Students |
Students are not permitted to enter the school prior to 8:40. Parents are asked to use the student drop off loop and not the staff parking lot please. The parent drop of loop is the loop on the far-right side of the school and not to be confused with the bus loop. Appropriate signage is posted. Staff will be present in their homerooms at 8:40 daily. Upon arrival students will enter the school through the main door with their masks on, (the first door on the right is an enter only door and the two on the left are exit only doors), sanitize and proceed to their homerooms if in Junior High, and first period class if in Senior High. There will be no morning cafeteria service nor the traditional breakfast program. However, there will be stations set up in the main foyer providing free breakfast grab and go items for students. |
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All students are required to have a 3 layered non-medical mask, or a medical mask to be properly worn when entering the school, in the hallways and in class when socially distancing is not possible. Masks are not required when eating, drinking, participating in physical activity or when outdoors. All students and staff will be provided a reusable 3 layered mask on Monday. Students are expected to comply with this directive. Refusal to wear a mask will be viewed as non-compliance to the public health directives and will result in the student being sent home. |
Cohorting Students - Overview |
Students in grades 7-9 are in cohorts according to grade level. Senior High, due to the nature of mixed grade level classes, are in a cohort together. |
Student Transitions - Class to Class |
Students will be directed by teachers the appropriate route to take to their next scheduled class. The goal is to transition from class to class in an orderly fashion with less congestion. Please be mindful of the directional arrows in the hallways and stairwells and consistently follow them. Masks must be worn during transition times and anytime students are in the hallway. |
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Students will remain in their classrooms for recess. The cafeteria will not be providing recess at this time. Students are encouraged to bring a snack from home. Students are able to take an extra item in the morning from the breakfast grab and go cart if they choose to. |
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Our traditional lunch selections will be offered with changes to our sub/salad bar. This will still be available for students on a preorder basis upon arrival in their homerooms in the morning. Hand Sanitizer Stations are available at the entrance and exit doors of the cafeteria. Students must follow the directional arrows and follow the flow of traffic. They will enter the main door exit the cafeteria via the door and hallway that connects to the gym. Floors are marked with six feet markers for students waiting to order or pick up their food. Seating is set up to maintain physical distancing, therefore students cannot move chairs or tables. Masks can be removed when students are seated. Cafeteria staff will sanitize tables between cohorts. Students will follow a rotating schedule at lunch time Students are in cohorts according to grade level, they will follow a rotating schedule with 3 rotations/ 20 minutes each The schedule is as follows:
Grade 7 - Cafeteria → Gym → Classroom/Outside Grade 8 - Gym → Classroom/Outside → Cafeteria Grade 9 - Classroom/Outside → Cafeteria → Gym Students from grades 10-12 Students who stay at school for lunch must go directly to the cafeteria at the start of lunch. When they are finished eating, they must either go outside, to a designated classroom, or the library to wait for afternoon classes to begin. Students cannot be roaming in the hallways during this time. Senior High students are permitted to leave school property during their lunch break. Upon return to the school, they are not permitted in the hallway. They will only be permitted to be outside, library or a designated classroom.
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At the end of the day we will have a staggered approach to dismissal. We will alternate daily by grade level to minimize traffic flow. Students, upon exiting the building, will be required to follow the directional arrows posted signage. Again students are required to wear masks during this transition time and on the bus. If a student is required to be picked up early by a parent/guardian, it is recommended that they call the school or send a note. The student will meet you in the drop off loop. Students must first sign out at the office before leaving the building. |
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All students and staff are requested to follow their own individual self-assessment process each day (COVID-19 Daily Checklist). If you are feeling unwell, staff and/or students need to stay home. There is a layered approach to slowing the spread of COVID-19 in schools. Anyone with symptoms should stay home and get tested. Close contacts of a known case in their household or non-school, community interaction should follow public health guidance that is available online If a student is displaying symptoms of feeling ill at school, the classroom teacher will notify administration and send the student to the office. Administration will contact home and notify the parent/guardian of the illness and request that they be picked up. To access testing for individuals with symptoms, go to The Test to Protect program provides additional tests for students and staff, which will be supplied through the school as necessary. Families are not required to report positives cases to the school if they choose not to. They should contact the school like they do for other illnesses, such as colds or influenza (flu) if their child is going to be absent. Schools will no longer be contact tracing. It is the families responsibility to notify close contacts. Schools will arrange ways to ensure the student’s learning continues, as regularly happens when a student is absent for illness. |
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Non-essential visitors are not permitted to enter our school at this time. Only essential visitors who produce proof of vaccination and wear masks are permitted in the building. |
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School sport will continue under the current community rules for sport and recreation. At this time teams are permitted to practice in groups of no more than 10. Students on a free that remain at the school must report to the library or be outside. There will be no assemblies or large group gatherings at this time. Exams are scheduled to take place as regularly scheduled for grades 10 - 12. We are currently in discussions around 7 – 9 exams, more information will be provided early next week.
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Cafeteria Menu
Mental Health and Addictions Resources and Supports for BMHS
The following are contacts for mental health support, particularly in crisis situations.
School Counselling Services- Please reach out to Melanie d’Entremont if you require counselling support or assistance accessing any of these resources.
melanie.dentremont@tcrce.ca
Please reach out to our Admin team as well, if you require assistance/support with accessing any of these services:
Principal Cathy Breen- cbreen@tcrce.ca
Vice Prinicipal Phoebe Cameron-phoebe.cameron@tcrce.ca
Yarmouth Mental Health and Addictions – Crisis Response Service (CRS):
Located at the Yarmouth hospital, this service provides assistance to children, youth, and adults who are experiencing a crisis due to a mental health disorder or harmful substance.
Clinicians support callers who present with suicidal thoughts, self-harming thoughts or behaviors, overwhelming anxiety, difficulty coping with distress, psychotic or distorted thinking, depression, substance use difficulties or any other self-identified mental health concerns. Crisis is self-defined by the individual calling for support.
24-Hour Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line: 1-888-429-8167
Yarmouth Mental Health Line (902)742-4222
Shelburne Mental Health Line- (902)-875-4200
*Or go immediately to the Yarmouth Hospital emergency department
Kids Help Phone:
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. It offers professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French.
Whether by phone, text, mobile app or through our website, you can connect with them whenever you want, however you want.
Visit https://kidshelpphone.ca for more information. Need help now? You can reach a professional counsellor 24/7 by calling 1-800-668-6868, or by texting CONNECT to 686868.
The Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line:
This support provides crisis intervention for children, youth and adults experiencing a mental health crisis or mental distress.
To access this service during a mental health crisis, call 902-429-8167 or 1-888-429-8167 (toll free) available to help 24/7.
The Youth Project:
The YP provides supportive counselling for youth who want to talk to someone about sexual orientation or gender identity. The support coordinator is available to listen, provide information and help youth get more support. Our support worker can also help you get connected to other safe and supportive resources in your community.
Call and make an appointment to talk to someone. We can also use Skype to chat for those of you who are far away. All you need to do is contact us by phone or e-mail. Phone: (902) 429 5429 ext 230 Email: carmel@youthproject.ns.ca
Canada 911:
Available 24/7. Emergency response for all crisis situations. If you or a someone you know needs the help of an adult, please use this resource for support.
At any time, if you have any questions or need further support, please reach out to your classroom teacher and/or administration.
Cathy Breen- cbreen@tcrce.ca
Phoebe Cameron- phoebe.cameron@tcrce.ca
School Counsellor support- melanie.dentremont@tcrce.ca
Sr. High Courses - Course changing and/or dropping is extremely limited and reviewed on an individual basis. The last day for possibly changing or dropping a Semester 2 course is February 5th . After that, all students must remain in their scheduled courses and all academic marks will be recorded on the student transcript.
Lunch Program - The lunch program, similar to our breakfast program has the same mission. Therefore, we want all our students and parents to be aware of the lunch program at BMHS. This program is completely run by donations, promoting every student should have access to a lunch and not go hungry. For more information please contact Mrs Breen or Ms Cameron.
NSISP - Host families are needed for the Nova Scotia International Student Program for Sept 2021. Please contact Rebecca Symonds at 902-635-1145 or email Rebecca.symonds@tcrce if interested. For more information please visit www.nsisp.ca
Please Use The Designated Drop Off Area When Dropping Off Or Picking Up Your Child - There is an enormous volume of parents dropping off & picking up their children in the staff parking lot, this presents multiple safety concerns. Please use the designated drop off area located at the east entrance of the building.