Provincial and Territorial Return to School Guidelines

• Take activities that involve movement, including those for physical health and education, outside. 
• Incorporate more individual activities or activities that encourage greater space between students and staff. 
• For elementary students, adapt group activities to minimize physical contact and reduce shared items.
• For middle and secondary students, minimize group activities and avoid activities that require physical contact.
• Extracurricular activities including sports, arts or special interest clubs can occur if physical distance can be maintained between members of different cohorts and reduced physical contact is practiced by those within the same cohort. Inter-school events including competitions, tournaments and festivals, should not occur at this time. This will be reevaluated in mid-fall 2020.

• Create a “no sharing policy” - all students should have their own supplies.
• Clean equipment between uses if students or staff share anything.

All school are returning to in-school instruction.

• Working groups for PE (in addition to other subjects) will be formed.
• Schools will develop their own plans for proper implementation.

In progress

In elementary and applicable secondary Health and Physical Education courses, efforts should be made to address the overall expectations of the Active Living and Movement Competence strands outside, whenever possible. Gymnasiums should only be used where physical distancing measures can be followed. Capacity in change rooms should be limited.

Teachers should plan physical activities that support physical distancing while also limiting the use of shared equipment. Shared equipment should be disinfected regularly and students should be encouraged to practice proper hand hygiene before and after participating in physical activity and equipment use. Boards may choose to refer to Physical & Health Education (PHE) Canada’s resource or the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (Ophea) website for suggestions on teaching physical education in line with current public health recommendations.

In progress

The Department recognizes the essential role sport and movement play in the academic, social and emotional development of students.

• It is recommended that physical education classes take place in a safe outdoor space as much as possible, weather permitting. Gymnasiums or alternate indoor spaces may also be used as long as health and safety measures are applied (e.g., physical distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene, enhanced cleaning and disinfection). Schools are to contact district facilities staff when considering alternate indoor areas to determine suitability of the space.
• Shared equipment should be cleaned and disinfected after each use by students, under the supervision of the teacher or a physical education teacher. If this is not possible, the material in question should not be made available for common use.
• Students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 will participate in physical education class within their class groupings and maintain a two (2) metre physical distance from other groupings. Physical distancing within their class grouping is not required, and materials may be shared within the grouping. Proper hand sanitization is required prior to entering the gymnasium and upon exit.
• Students in Grades 9 to 12 will maintain a physical distance of one (1) metre while participating in physical education class or other physical activities. The sharing of equipment is permitted, given that all health and safety measures are met (proper sanitization). Proper hand sanitization is required prior to entering the gymnasium and upon exit.
• The use of changing rooms is acceptable during physical education class and all health and safety measures apply. Schools will reduce the number of students in changing rooms at any one time.
• Students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 must stay within their class groupings while using the changing room.
• Students in Grades 9 to12 must maintain a physical distance of one (1) metre while using the changing room.
• Changing rooms will be cleaned and disinfected frequently (at least three times a day).
• A curtain divider may be used for physical distancing purposes if two or more groups of students are using the common space (gymnasium) at the same time.
• In Grades 9 to12 the use of markings is recommended (e.g., floor tape, hula hoops, cones etc.) and general signage to indicate where students can sit/stand/participate according to physical distancing guidelines.

A major factor in promoting ongoing well-being is access to daily activity. Schools are encouraged to ensure that movement is integrated into daily learning. Schools will find ways to conduct classes outside, when safe to do so, with priority given to physical education classes and activities.

The Department of Education and Lifelong Learning is committed to ensuring children have the opportunity to participate in physical education, music and other important curriculum. While curriculum may be adapted to adhere to public health guidelines, they will be available.

Sports and physical education classes should be encouraged and continue according to current available public health protocols. Outdoor activities such as recess should be encouraged. Sports with a high degree of physical contact should be postponed or modified for the present time. Students must perform hand hygiene prior to and after sports activities and outdoor play. Sports equipment (e.g., balls, hockey sticks) must be cleaned at the conclusion of the activity. 

• Gymnasiums can be used to deliver physical education programming. When possible physical education should be done outside instead of inside. 
• Sports and physical education classes should be encouraged and continue according to available protocols. There should be special consideration as to whether re-starting sports with a high degree of physical contact should be postponed or modified for the present time.
• Administrators and teachers should choose activities or sports that support physical distancing (e.g., badminton over wrestling).
• Sports equipment (e.g., balls, hockey sticks) must be cleaned at the conclusion of the activity.
• Use of shared items or sports equipment should be discouraged. Equipment that must be shared must be cleaned and disinfected before and after each use, and users must perform hand hygiene before and after each use. 
• Equipment that cannot be adequately disinfected must not be used.

In progress

In progress

In progress