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Kehewin Community Education Centre closed for the week due to positive COVID-19 case

Kehewin Community Education Centre was closed down for the week due to positive COVID-19 cases linked to the school
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BONNYVILLE – The Kehewin Community Education Centre will be closed for the remainder of the week after an individual who was at the facility received a positive COVID-19 test.  

A statement from acting principal Cynthia Youngchief and vice-principal Lorne Cuthand was sent out to parents on Tuesday, March 9, informing them that someone linked to the school “attended Kinokamāsihk Kiskinohamatikamik yesterday, March 8.”  

“We are working closely with local health staff and Indigenous Services Canada, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch to ensure necessary measures are in place to protect all students and staff,” the statement read. “Community health staff will be contacting parents and guardians, as well as any visitors, staff, or volunteers who may have been in close contact with the case.”  

The decision was made to shut down the school until March 15 to allow for the facility to be disinfected and sanitized.  

This is the second case linked to the school this month. It was announced on March 6 that an individual who was at the school tested positive and the school remained in their cohort schedule, which saw students broken up into different groups and attending on different schedules.

Following the Christmas break, classes didn’t resume in person at the Kehewin Community Education Centre until Feb. 16.

The plan was to return to regular school programming on March 8, where cohorts would have been combined from Monday to Thursday for in-person learning and Friday would consist of online learning for high school students. That approach was cancelled due to the COVID-19 case linked to the facility on March 6.  

In the letter to parents, Youngchief and Cuthand stressed the importance of keeping their child home if they’re feeling ill, and for staff to stay home if they feel sick.  

“We remind parents and guardians, as well as any staff, visitors, or volunteers, to monitor for any signs or symptoms of COVID-19... Please remember to complete the Alberta Health (checklist) with your child and family every day prior to attending school. As a reminder, if you or your child has any symptoms of illness listed on the Alberta Health daily checklist, please fill out the online Alberta Health Services COVID-19 self-assessment or call Health Link at 811 and stay home or keep your child home.”   

Robynne Henry, Bonnyville Nouvelle

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