With the update to and easing of the Provincial Health Orders on personal gatherings, activities and events, the Ministry of Education has issued the following H&S guidance related to K-12 schools: 

School gatherings and events:  

  • For school gatherings and events that bring together multiple classes or other groupings of students (e.g., school assemblies, multiple classes doing a single activity) from the same school (but members of the school community beyond staff, students and necessary volunteers are not attending), there is not a specific capacity limit.  
  • For school extracurricular and social gatherings and events that bring together members of the school community beyond staff, students and necessary volunteers (e.g., an arts club performance, community fair), or that occur between schools (e.g., a music festival, a sports game or tournament), indoor capacity should not exceed 50 people or 50% of spectator’s designated area (whichever is greater).  
  • For indoor spaces without a defined operating capacity, schools should determine a capacity limit that is at most half the number of individuals that would be within the space for that activity or event if prevention measures weren’t in place.  
  • Spectators (e.g., parents, caregivers, peers), may be present for gatherings and events (e.g., attend performance club theatre productions, inter-school sports games and tournaments, etc.) within capacity limits (50 people or 50% of the spectator’s designated area, whichever is greater)  
  • Schools should not implement proof of vaccination requirements for school-led gatherings and events.  

Visitors:  

  • Visitors are no longer limited to those supporting activities of direct benefit to student learning and wellbeing.  

Overnight Trips: 

  • Overnight trips are allowed within the province (i.e. no international trips).  For those considering planning overnight trips, please connect with your Area Superintendent. 

Organizers of gatherings, events and overnight trips should continue to apply a trauma-informed lens to their planning, including consideration of gradual transitions to larger gatherings (e.g., school-wide assemblies), including starting with smaller in-person options, shorter in-person sessions, etc. 

For more information, please refer to the February 15 Deputy Minister’s Bulletin.  We anticipate further guidance from the Ministry and will share information as soon as it available. 

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