Ontario School Plant Manager Summer 2020

Summer 2020

HOW CHANGE

IS ESSENTIAL

AND BENEFICIAL

Publications mail agreement #40934510

IN EDUCATION

Flexible work arrangements are here to stay

SickKids Hospital's recommendations for a safe, healthy school reopening

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In this issue Message from the editor ........................................................................................... 5 Thoughts on: Change ................................................................................................. 6 Air barrier: Stop leaks to save energy ................................................................. 7 COVID-19 safety equipment full speed ahead at 3M®............................... 8 Energy efficiency and indoor air quality in schools ................................10 Today's flexible workplace/workspace ...........................................................12 SickKids Hospital's recommendations on how to safely return to school ..................................................................... 15 Index to advertisers..................................................................................................... 18

is published by DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3L 0G5 www.delcommunications.com President & CEO David Langstaff Editor Cindy Chan cindy@delcommunications.com Advertising Sales Manager Dayna Oulion dayna@delcommunications.com Advertising Account Executives Brent Astrope Jennifer Hebert Anthony Romeo Production services provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com Creative Director / Design Kathy Cable Advertising Art Dave Bamburak

© Copyright 2020, DEL Communications Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this pub­lica­tion may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher­in no way guarantees nor warrants the information and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements made by advertisers. Opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its directors, officers or employees.

Publications mail agreement #40934510 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3L 0G5 Email: david@delcommunications.com

4

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

PRINTED IN CANADA 07/2020

Message from the editor, Cindy Chan

School reopens The reopening of Ontario schools will look much different compared to previous years.

Schools in our province will have to completely rework their procedures in everything from learning, school meal programs, school day routine, and of course new adaptations for the school environment. Schools in Ontario will have to develop procedures that support general physical distancing measures, which as visual cues on the floors, corridors, bathrooms, and outside areas, limit parents and visitors into the schools, minimize the number of personal belongings that are brought onto the premises, develop guidelines for cafeterias, libraries, gyms, and recess, and more.

While this school year may look a little different, there is a term that has been going around ever since the pandemic hit Canada earlier this year. The new normal. In order to grow we must adapt, and Ontario schools are showing that they are resilient and still doing their part to ensure a top-notch education for our province’s children.

This issue of the Ontario School Plant Manager features stories on how change is essential and beneficial in education, SickKids Hospital’s recommendations for a safe and healthy reopening, and so much more.

I hope you enjoy this edition of the magazine and that you have a successful reopening of your schools.

Sincerely, Cindy Chan Managing editor

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

5

Thoughts on:

Change

By Chuck Morris

Change – either you love it or you do not. I am not talking about pocket change, though most of the change I will be speaking to could cost plenty of pocket change.

We live in a world of change and for very good reason. Take a look around you, whether in the office or outside one of your buildings. How do things look? If you are looking with a sincere critical eye and are being honest to yourself, you will almost instantly see what I am talking about, especially if your facility is a few decades old or older.

Something I heard a long time ago and I prescribe to it is, “If you are doing something the same way you were doing it 20 years ago, you are doing it wrong.” I have found that to be true the majority of time.

Let’s face it: processes and technology have come a long way in the past 20plus years. Why not change? Look at one process being used by administrative staff and think about how it could be improved. Are they handling too much paper? What have you got left to do that would benefit from automation? During these past number of COVID-19 months, we have been forced to change many things that were ‘normal’. Has anyone heard of Zoom? Are you more conscious of what others touch and go out of your way to not touch it or wipe it down before you touch it? These are changes, albeit forced changes, but the outcome is you are doing things differently now.

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Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

Why not change? Look at one process being used by administrative staff and think about how it could be improved.

Are these changes for the good? One should think so. It can keep you safe.

How many of you have schools using dust collectors in wood shops that are 20 or more years old? Have they been maintained properly? As soon as something is added to the extraction ducting, the entire collection system is now challenged. Time to change!

One school in Ann Arbor, Michigan (Tappan Junior High School) wanted to do something different to learn more about the present conditions of the state – not from books but through actual experience. They wanted to study the simple life of the past, to learn pioneering.

Over a period of time, the school and parents raised enough money to buy a number of acres in an undeveloped area out of town. Over the course of developing a ‘camp’ and learning about the land and animals, they began to develop a sense of what goes on around them in the wilderness. On their return to classes, art classes attempted to reproduce what they have seen, science classes discussed differences and problems of Michigan’s various regions.

This may not be a change of processes

in an operating facility, but it shows someone was thinking of the current method of doing things and came up with a change that proved to be better than the norm. The best thing about this was it took place in 1937.

We advance, and so should the way we do things. It saves tedious hours of work, helps the staff who carry out that work by making the job less tedious and not as hard on the body, or the mind – you get the picture.

Always think about change. It is not the enemy. It shows you care about the school district, its employees and the outcomes. It does not take long to realize this. Join me as I continue to look for change in the work place. There is still a lot to do!

About Chuck has been in facility management for over 30 years. Having worked in five public school districts, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience. He currently is the director of facilities for the Greater Victoria School District on Vancouver Island and is the incoming president of the Educational Facility Managers Association of BC (EFMA). ¦

Air barrier:

Stop leaks to save energy Air barrier solutions for building envelopes This article was previously published in the Spring 2020 issue of Ops Talk magazine.

If your goal is to operate buildings with greater energy efficiency, consider improving your building envelopes. In Canada, commercial and institutional buildings (e.g. schools) account for 18 per cent of energy demandi. According to the Department of Energy, more than 10 per cent of all energy use is attributed to the conditioning of building envelopes. If your buildings leak due to age or poor envelope construction, unintentional air infiltration/exfiltration can result, costing you up to 40 per cent more for heating and up to 15 per cent more for coolingii. The solution is an air barrier system installation to control air leaks.

Energy calculation software, along with the building energy data, is then used to determine energy savings as a result of the recommended air sealing.

The consequences of air leakage: • Heat loss in winter/heat gain in summer, resulting in excessive energy consumption • Inefficient operation of mechanical ventilation systems • Uncomfortable indoor temperatures and poor humidity control

Integrated solutions: Testing, materials, systems, and installation Our buildings are composed of many different components and tying them together creates air barrier continuity. Unfortunately, due to various factors, the air barrier is often not continuous. It could simply be because of its age (built prior to peel-and-stick membranes and sealants being invented) or possibly because of bad building techniques or simply time allowing for pre-existing seals to fail. Whatever the case may be, when there are holes in your building envelope, coupled with air pressure differentials, air leakage will occur.

• Poor indoor air quality • Condensation, moisture, and mould damage • Pests and rodents entering the building

Reach your building envelope’s full potential A Building Envelope Air Leakage Study can help you find your building’s energy efficiency potential. Pair energy savings with the increase in your building’s longevity, and you’ll see why “sealing the envelope” makes such good financial and environmental sense. When implemented, building envelope

Making your building envelopes airtight

weatherization measures can free up available capital to help

The good news is that there is a fix without a complete renovation taking place. Having a Building Envelope Air Leakage Study completed on your building can identify where uncontrolled air leakage is occurring. With the use of tools such as a smoke pencil, visual and thermal imaging cameras, air leakage can be identified in buildings. Energy assessment software can also be used to track leak sources and their severity, which in turn, determines the quantity of uncontrolled CFM of air that can be reduced in the building.

fund building maintenance projects.

To learn more about Building Envelope Air Leakage Study from Canam, please contact Luc Seguin at 250-589-7313 or lseguin@canambuildngenvelop.com.

Canadian Electricity Association. Canada’s Electricity Industry.

I

http://www.electricity.ca/media/Electricity101/Electricity101.pdf II

Air Barrier Association of America ¦ Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

7

COVID-19 safety equipment full speed ahead at 3M® There has been an increased demand for respiratory protection products following the outbreak of a newly identified coronavirus (COVID-19). In response, 3M® is increasing respiratory production to help meet the demand.

To ensure a clear air working environment, 3M® in London, Ontario has installed an N.R. Murphy Ltd. pulse jet/continuous clean dust collector. Air quality is important in all work environments to keep employees healthy and productive.

N.R. Murphy has supplied air-quality solutions for more than 75 years, especially dust collection equipment.

The company’s lineup has something for every work environment, from mild hazards to enormous levels of dust.

Sawmills and woodworking shops, for example, require powerful equipment to collect the high amount of dust they spill into the air. N.R Murphy’s cyclones are essential for these workplaces. A cyclone offers a simple, economical way of separating in medium-to-coarse environments.

Useful as primary separators Customers in all industries use N.R. Murphy cyclones as primary separators that operate ahead of other dust collectors. These cyclones blend centrifugal action with gravity to achieve both dust collection and separation. They are designed and constructed with higher efficiency on small dust particles, on top of more up-to-date requirements.

N.R. Murphy Ltd. offers many types of dust collection equipment N.R. Murphy’s impressive line of collectors includes four main series and a few specialized systems. With such a diverse portfolio, N.R. Murphy offers dust collection equipment suitable for applications in various industries, including agriculture, the automotive sector, metal manufacturing, plastics and woodworking.

From cyclones to tube-style filters

3M® plant in London, Ontario, Canada, installed N.R. Murphy’s pulse jet/continuous clean dust collector (not exactly as shown).

8

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

N.R. Murphy produces dust collectors for specific applications, including cyclones. Cyclones are useful as primary separators ahead of other dust collectors in virtually every industry.

In addition, the MRX series consists of portable models for machines with low dust volume, recommended for indoor workspaces with low headroom. These units are easy to assemble and install.

The company offers four primary series of dust collection equipment: • FB series. Cylindrical, tube-style filters with mechanical cleaning, ideal for small metalworking shops, schools, afterfilers for cyclones and venting silos. Sizes go from 11-inch inlet diameters to 138-inch collector diameters. Relevant industries include cement, mining, pulp and paper, printing, textiles, food processing and wood.

• HE series. This series includes two types of continuous-duty, automatic self-cleaning collectors. Built in square, rectangular and round modules, the HEC is perfect for multi-shift operations in which clean, dry, in-plant compressed air is available for filtering dust-laden air. The HEF is designed in circular modules and suits applications that need constant cleaning with higher dust loads and no compressed air available. Good for the cement, chemical, foundry, mining, pharmaceutical and wood-processing sectors.

• MK series. Available in four designs of square or rectangular tube-style filters with mechanical cleaning. High performance with all kinds of dust particles. Popular in educational institutions, but also recommended for food processing, foundries, powder paint, printing, textiles and wood.

• C series. Three cartridge-type units for fine-dust applications that need large filter areas. The CMT and CMTE are inexpensive units for small applications; the CP is a continuous cleaner for larger tasks. Recommended for chemicals, food processing, pharmaceuticals, welding smoke and plasma cutting.

Open for essential service industries: heavyduty exhaust fans, filters and accessories To be sure “essential-service” plants up and running, N.R. Murphy builds and stocks standard industrial exhaust fans and can customize them as needed. N.R Murphy is also your one stop for collector accessories as well. What’s more, they manufacture dust collector filters for all makes.

N.R. Murphy is proud to be a small part of the solution through this lockdown pandemic crisis we all face. They are open for business and ready to help through these very bad times.

To learn more, contact: Hélder Armas, President N.R. Murphy Ltd. 430 Franklin Blvd., Cambridge, ON N1R 8G6 Tel: (519) 621-6210 | Fax: (519) 621-2841 Email: h.armas@nrmurphy.com | www.nrmurphy.com. ¦

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

9

Energy efficiency and indoor air quality in schools This article was previously published in the Spring 2020 issue of Ops Talk magazine.

Plugged fresh air intake screen.

Many energy efficiency upgrades can improve the quality of a school’s indoor environment, protecting and even enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ) without sacrificing energy performance.

However, if certain energy upgrades are not done correctly, they may adversely impact indoor air quality. Increased energy efficiency in building construction, for example, has resulted in tighter building shells and reduced ventilation rates.

Common IAQ culprits Many factors interact to create an unhealthy indoor environment. The most important include indoor pollutants, outdoor pollutants near the building, pollution transport through the ventilation system, air cleaning or filtration, and indoor climate. Many building materials, the furnishings and equipment, and the occupants and their activities are sources of indoor with pollution. The following is a list of some of the more common pollutants and their sources.

Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS): Lighted cigarettes, cigars, pipes.

Biological Contaminants (mould, bacteria near the building, pollution transport through viruses): Wet or damp 10 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

Plugged inline coil. materials, cooling towers, humidifiers, cooling coils or drain pans, damp duct insulation or filters, condensation, wet carpet or ceiling tiles, sanitary exhausts, bird droppings, cockroaches or rodents, people with contagious viruses.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Paints, stains, varnishes, solvents, pesticides, adhesives, wood preservatives, waxes, polishes, cleansers, lubricants, sealants, dyes, air fresheners, fuels, plastics, copy machines, printers, tobacco products, perfumes, dry-cleaned clothing, marking pens, art supplies.

Formaldehyde: Particle board, plywood, cabinetry, furniture, carpets, fabrics.

Soil gases (radon, VOCs, sewer gas, methane): Soil and rock (radon), sewer drain leaks, dry drain traps, leaking underground storage tanks, landfills.

Pesticides: Termiticides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, disinfectants, herbicides.

Particles (tiny solid particles or dust particles in the air): Printing, paper handling, smoking and other combustion sources, outdoor sources of air pollution, deterioration of materials, vacuuming, construction/renovation.

Pollution transport through ventilation: Outside air also contains contaminants that can be brought inside through the ventilation system. Indoor air quality problems caused by outdoor pollutant sources can stem from idling school buses, local traffic or vehicles at loading docks, cooling towers for the air conditioning system, sanitary or kitchen exhausts, trash and landscaping chemicals storage.

Air cleaning or filtration: Some contaminants are removed from the air through natural processes, when chemicals react with other substances or settle onto surfaces. Removal processes may also be deliberately incorporated into the building through air filtration devices. Standard filters protect HVAC equipment from large particles, while high-efficiency filters may collect some breathable particles. Upgrading the filtration system is commonly recommended as good indoor air quality practice. However, ozone generators sold as air purifiers can create special problems and are not recommended.

Indoor climate/temperature and relative humidity: Inadequate temperature and humidity conditions affect indoor air quality for several reasons. As temperature and relative humidity increase, so does the rate at which chemicals

are released. Mould and dust mite populations also increase with humidity levels. In addition, students, teachers, or school staff who are thermally uncomfortable may have a lower tolerance to pollution exposures.

How energy efficiency projects affect IAQ Many energy upgrades, such as those related to fans, motors, drives, and chiller/boiler systems, generally have negligible impact on IAQ. Other energy efficiency measures are usually very compatible with IAQ. Examples include energy recovery, which may reduce the energy burden of outdoor air especially in extreme climates or when high outdoor air volumes may be required (e.g. in schools and auditoriums). Tune up/ maintenance of the HVAC system (e.g. clean coils/drain pans) can at times improve IAQ by removing contaminant sources.

Finally, testing, adjusting, and balancing the HVAC system can improve ventilation effectiveness.

Some energy projects have the potential to degrade IAQ but can be made compatible with appropriate adjustments. For example, variable air volume (VAV) systems with fixed outdoor air dampers tend to degrade IAQ unless proper steps are taken. ¦

Helping you maintain your school’s mechanical systems for more than 50 years!

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11

Today’s flexible workplace/workspace

MANAGING PEOPLE & TIME

Today’s Flexible Workplace/Workspace Flexible work arrangements are here to stay — with benefits and pitfalls

Flexible work arrangements are here to stay—with benefits and pitfalls.

By Karen Starr, Ph.D.

VISUAL GENERATION/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

By Karen Starr, Ph.D.

T

hanks to technology, can work or The Benefits of Flexibility This article originally appearedemployees in the myriad devices. As a result, employers and employees recognize the mutual learn anywhere, anytime, using myriad devices.

Flexibility in the work structure has some distinct advanMarch 2020 Affairs As aSchool result, Business employers and employees recognize benefits of the flexible workplace and increasingly, employees expect and tages for employees who work remotely from home. magazine is reprinted with theand mutual benefits of permission the flexible workplace demand a degree of flexibility in their working lives. and increasingly, expect and demand a degree of the Associationemployees of School Business Cost Savings Flexible work can be defined as working remotely from home, of flexibility in their working lives.

• Automotive commuting expense for fuel, tolls, and Officials International (ASBO). The text Flexible work can be defined as working remotely telecommuting,vehicle teleworking, and beingdecrease, a nomadic Whatever the maintenance asworker. do costs for using herein doestelecommuting, not necessarily represent the and beingnomenclature, from home, teleworking, a workplace flexibility can take many forms: working from home public transportation. nomadic Whatever the nomenclature, workplace views or worker. policies of ASBO International, one day a week, working from home whenon children have “snow or • The need to spend money professional attiredays” decreases. flexibility can take many forms: working from home one • The cost of childcare may decrease because parents and use of this imprint does not imply doctor appointments, setting custom hours, or compressing the work week. day a week, working from home when children have can work from home in the event of school holidays any endorsement or recognition

by ASBO “snow days” or doctor appointments, setting custom Gone are the days of “staying late” toevents. finish work at the office. Today’s business or weather-related International and its officers or affiliates. hours, or compressing the work week. is more often done outside “office hours,” at meetings, at travel locations, and Benefits Gone are the days of “staying late” to finish work at often atPersonal most home.

Thanks to technology, employees can work or learn anywhere, anytime, using

the office. Today’s business is more often done outside “office hours,” at meetings, at travel locations, and most 12 Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020 often at home.

Having more control over their work hours allows employees to reduce stress as they balance work and personal time.

The benefits of flexibility Flexibility in the work structure has some distinct advantages for employees who work remotely from home.

Cost savings • Automotive commuting expense for fuel, tolls, and vehicle maintenance decrease, as do costs for using public transportation.

• The need to spend money on professional attire decreases.

• The cost of childcare may decrease because parents can work from home in the event of school holidays or weather-related events.

Personal benefits Having more control over their work hours allows employees to reduce stress as they balance work and personal time.

• Choosing what to do and when to do it provides a sense of freedom.

• Flexibility encourages independence, personal responsibility, and self-managed accountability.

• Proximity to the office becomes less important as employees choose where they want to live.

• The rigors of commuting, whether by car or public transportation, are reduced or eliminated.

Organization benefits Time and geography are not critical factors. Workers and their work can travel anywhere with only time zones to consider.

• Organizations can save money on utilities, office supplies, and cost of office space.

• Flexible work encourages innovation and entrepreneurialism.

Workers can exercise more creativity, finding their own solutions to problems.

• Providing flexible work is a benefit that can expand the size of the talent pool and improve employee retention.

• Weather is not a factor; people can work regardless of extreme conditions.

• Flexibility improves productivity. Employees who are allowed flexible schedules often work beyond the hours for which they are paid.

The drawbacks There are drawbacks to flexible work schedules as well.

Where Do Workers Work?

In 2013–2017, employed people spent most of their work hours at their workplaces. This was true for people employed in management, professional, and related (MPR) occupations and those employed in other occupations. However, the American Time Use Survey data also show that people employed in MPR occupations averaged more time working at home than did workers employed in other occupations, and their hours at home have changed somewhat over time.

On average, MPR workers spent less time working at their workplaces and more time working at their homes in 2013– 2017 than in 2003–2007. This change in work location occurred mainly on weekdays.

MPR workers average worktime per day in 2013–2017 varied by work location. Those who worked only at home did so for the shortest average duration, and those who worked both at their workplace and at home did so for the longest average duration. These results reflect that people work at different locations for a variety of reasons, such as to accommodate appointments or other commitments, and to catch up on work.

MPR workers were less likely to work at their workplaces and more likely to perform work at their homes on weekend days than on weekdays. Additionally, on average, MPR workers who spent time working at home on weekend days did so for a shorter duration than those who spent time working at home on weekdays.

In the analysis of specific MPR occupations, workers employed in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations and in education, training, and library occupations were found to be among those least likely to perform their work only at their workplace on days they spent time working. By contrast, workers employed in healthcare practitioner and technical occupations were among those most likely to work only at their workplaces.

From “Where Did Workers Perform Their Jobs in the Early 21st Century?”

by Rachel M, Krantz-Kent. Monthly Labor Review, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 2019. https://doi.org/10.21916/mlr.2019.16.

• Without a home office, employees may be inefficient as they choose to work from the couch or at the kitchen table.

• Without self-discipline and organization, productive work autonomy is impossible.

• Unless at-home workers set limits on distractions by family,

Distractions

friends, and social media, working productively from home can

• Household chores can be hard to ignore.

be a challenge.

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

13

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• Out of sight, out of mind could be the plight of telecommuters who otherwise might have been considered for promotion.

• Reliable Internet is not guaranteed in all locales. Printers, scanners, and copy paper are not routinely provided at travel Difficult work–life balance recognize the importance of schedules and ince 1993, Pretium has served and assisted Tendering, Construction Review and Contract venues like hotels.

• Anywhere, anytime means it may be difficult to separate work

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Ontario School Board stakeholders with

budgets and ensure these are made a priority.

Administration

life and family life. physical asset management by providing • Facility and Capital • Technological support for problem solving may not beCondition readily Assessments

Should issues arise during a project, we

work diligently to address them in a timely • The expanded workday can increase expectations about manner, and we will work expeditiously to consulting engineering services.

• Energy Performance; Auditing, Modeling, productivity. Workers may feel more pressure to perform and Accountability respond to questions.

We are a Canadian controlled private Commissioning, System Upgrades/Renewal, Deep produce, which increases stress.

Performance and Durability corporation with offices throughout Ontario, Energy Retrofits • Employers are not assured that employees are working the Focused.

We begin every with an and a staff complement of over 60 building • Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments Flexible work is here to stay, but employers andproject employees reported number of hours a day. evidence-based focus to properly diagnose engineers and technologists. Pretium is one • Universal Design (Accessibility) must be aware of its pitfalls.

• Flexible working arrangements can require a •wide range of and Litigation Support problems. This may involve intrusive openings, of the largest firms in Ontario focussing Forensic Services accountability air and water leakage testing, infrared solely on buildingmechanisms. engineering with specialist building science and structural

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Looking Forward

many staff having the “Building Science

Isolation

Consulting Engineers | Working

thermography or materials testing. This

their objectives.

Project Management Services including

According to 2016 Gallup Analytics State of the American combined with our extensive experience are Specialist” (BSS) designation. Granted by the Together, Better Workplace, “Organizations have nowhere to hide. They have to • Teambuilding be difficult when members areOur notslogan face to critical to the development of pragmatic repair Ontario Buildingmay Envelope Council (OBEC), not only describes how we adapt to the needs of the modern workforce, theybuilding will find face. solutions that provide longor lasting the BSS designation recognizes individuals approach our internal operations, but also to attractperformance and keep great employees and enclosure and durability. with additional education building science embodies the approach to themselves our work andstruggling our • Remote workers are leftinout of office friendships; casual therefore customers.”

OECM Partner: Pretium is an and a commitment tosocial continuing education conversations and banter that typicallyservice build to clients. We collaborate with our approved OECM supplier partner for Facilities inrelationships the field. clients and customize each project scope to suit are not possible.

Karen Starr is a professor and chair of School Development and Leadership at Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.

• Unless information and communication flow are formalized to renewal projects, building condition initiative One of our core values is Email: karen.starr@deakin.edu.au. ¦ ensure everyone is kept in the loop, remote workers can be left projects, major repair projects, key renovation • Building Enclosure and Structural ‘Responsiveness’ and we demonstrate this out of projects. projects, and new builds.

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SickKids-led group of experts proposes latest guidance for school reopening " As leaders in

A group of experts from across Ontario

around the world and reviewed the

have come together to develop

experiences from other jurisdictions to

updated considerations for a safe school

inform how students and staff in Ontario

children’s health,

reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

can safely return to school in September.

The living document, Updated COVID-19:

However, as research into COVID-19

our most important

Guidance for School Reopening, published

continues to rapidly evolve, the authors

July 29, 2020, builds on the initial set of

caution the document may need to be

recommendations put forward by The

updated accordingly. The authors drafted

Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and

and accepted the guidance statements

Unity Health Toronto, with input from

based on consensus and highlighted

experts from a wide range of disciplines

areas of disagreement as additional

across the province.

viewpoints.

The authors agree bringing children

"As leaders in children’s health, our

and youth back to school for in-person,

most important opportunity at this

full-time learning, with appropriate risk-

moment is the careful planning of a safe,

mitigation strategies to ensure everyone’s

successful return to daily school. With

safety, is the ultimate goal. Together,

this document, we have endeavoured

they examined the latest evidence from

to provide helpful considerations

opportunity at this moment is the careful planning of a safe, successful return to daily school."

Ontario School Plant Manager | Summer 2020

15

"Children and youth

for educators, school boards and

keep community transmission as low

administrators, parents, and students,

as possible. It also emphasizes the

as they chart the course for returning

importance of monitoring the impact of

mentally and

to the classroom. I am hopeful that

school reopening on the transmission in

with the appropriate safety measures in

the community.

emotionally supported

place, this year’s Back-to-School period,

need to be physically,

while unique, will be a healthy, safe and

as they return to school

fulfilling one for all," said Dr. Ronald Cohn,

this September. We’re

president and CEO, SickKids, and coauthor of the document.

pleased to partner

The document was a collaborative effort between SickKids, CHEO, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Children’s Hospital at London Health

The new document represents

Sciences Centre, McMaster Children’s

a refinement of the previous

Hospital and Unity Health. Paediatric

recommendations with additional

and adult infectious diseases specialists,

considerations for a spectrum of

epidemiologists, paediatricians,

recommendations to

stakeholders as they prepare to return to

psychiatrists, public health officials, teachers and parents provided input.

help ensure a safe and

school. It highlights the need to consider the epidemiology of COVID-19 in decision

"Children and youth need to be

positive back-to-school

making and provides recommended

physically, mentally and emotionally

health and safety measures, with age

season for kids across

supported as they return to school this

and developmental considerations, to

September. We’re pleased to partner with

support schools in keeping students,

fellow hospitals to provide evidence-

staff and their families safe. The authors

based recommendations to help ensure

stress that keeping schools open

a safe and positive back-to-school season

safely will be facilitated by low rates of

for kids across Ontario,” said Dr. Jeffrey

community transmission and everyone

Pernica, medical director, Infectious

has a significant role in adhering to

Disease Service, McMaster Children's

public health recommendations to

Hospital, and co-author of the document.

with fellow hospitals to provide evidence-based

Ontario,” said Dr. Jeffrey.

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– Additional guidance statements on

• Current evidence suggests that young

of SickKids, and Michelle Science, Staff

implementing physical distancing

children may be less susceptible to

Physician in the Division of Infectious

in schools with age-specific

COVID-19 and children younger than

Diseases at SickKids, were joined by other

considerations.

10 years of age are probably less likely

contributors to the document at a virtual news conference on July 29, 2020, to discuss the latest guidance statements and answer questions from the media.

– Enhanced guidance statements for children and youth with medical, physical, developmental and/or behavioural complexities.

– Additional guidance statements on

Quick Facts • Updated COVID-19: Guidance for

safety for teachers and school staff.

School Reopening builds on the

– Suggested priority areas of research

previous document. Some of the

to close crucial knowledge gaps.

changes include:

• Multiple reports from around the

– Increased focus on epidemiology

world indicate that children and

of COVID-19 and the influence of

youth account for less than 5-10% of

community transmission on school

SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic infections.

reopening plans.

In Canada, of 111,911 COVID-19 cases

– Additional discussion on the benefits and risks of mandatory masking in schools with age-specific and

reported as of July 26, 2020, 8,890 (7.5 per cent) were in individuals aged 0 to 19 years.

to transmit the disease than older children and adults. There is also strong evidence that the majority of children who get COVID-19 may not display any symptoms or have only mild symptoms.

• School closures have significant adverse health and welfare consequences for children and youth. Some of these unintended consequences include adverse impacts on children’s behaviour and mental health, food insecurity and increased risk of family violence. The goal of reopening schools should be to maximize child and youth health rather than facilitate a return to work for parents and caregivers. ¦

epidemiological considerations.

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