Calgary Board of Education, Catholic Schools mandate masks for all K-12 students, staff

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and the Catholic School Board is requiring masks for everyone as it prepares for the start of the school year.

In an update, released Friday, the CBE said all students and staff from Kindergarten to grade 12 will need to wear a mask at school.

This includes inside classrooms and public spaces such as hallways and bathrooms.

Masks will also be required for everyone on a school bus or using Calgary Transit.

The board said they’re working on guidelines to support students and staff who are unable to wear a mask due to medical conditions or other needs.

CBE says they have received lots of school specific questions and that all schools will follow their re-entry plan guidelines: https://t.co/GkXOy5TqjA

— Jeff Slack (@Jeffslack660) August 14, 2020

Aside from masks, the CBE said plans for all school buildings will be posted on their websites by the end of August once principals have confirmed details with their staff.

Every school will be provided with a kit that includes a number of items to help support physical distancing such as acrylic barriers, floor decals, painters tape and posters.

The kit will also include re-usable cloth masks for staff, nitrile gloves, face shields, sanitizer and other items to support a healthy environment.

The CBE said it is also hiring additional about 240 temporary custodial staff to help with the additional cleaning requirements.

Last month, the Alberta government announced all students and staff from grade 4-12 would be required to wear a mask while in shared spaces.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw said masks would not need to be worn in the classroom, but teachers and students would need to physically distanced.