Due to a number of factors (snow days, windchill days, negotiations between staff and students), the January Assessment period has been adjusted somewhat! We have three adjustment exam dates below for students in Mr. Cox's class. In all other classes, assessments are being completed in class or have been cancelled. Attendance is expected in those classes unless a parent excuses the absence on their student's behalf.

*IMPORTANT*
Parents/Guardians of children age 5-11 years,
 
If you want your child to be given their 1st or 2nd dose of Pfizer pediatric vaccine, I need to either have a !NEW! consent from you (sent to each family via email last week), or you may phone/email me to provide permission prior to Feb. 8, 2022.
 
I want to be respectful of your families’ wishes, and will not be using the previous consent as permission for your child to be immunized.
 
Tracey
Tracey Holness RN BN
Public Health Nurse
Southern Health-Santé Sud
Morris Public Health Office
Box 519, 215 Railroad Ave E
Morris, MB  R0G 1K0
T  204-746-7354 |   F  204-746-2603
E  [email protected]
www.southernhealth.ca

Do you have a gently used table tennis table you'd like to have leave your residence. Is there an Air Hockey table that is just not being used any longer? Morris School would be happy to accept those aforementioned items in the form of donations. When the weather is extreme and our students are cooped up inside, it would be nice to give them activities like table tennis and Air Hockey to get them through their lunch hour. If you answered, 'yes' to either question above, please contact the school! Thank you, in advance, for considering our request.

Welcome Back everyone!! Interested in playing Bucket Ball? 

What is Bucket Ball you ask? Sign up with your bestie and be ready to show up in the Senior Years' gym at lunch from 12:00 - 1255 pm. Games start Jan 24th
​
Look for sign up sheets in your cohort area this week. ​

Cards more your style? Interested in playing in a crib tournament?
​
Look for sign up sheet in your cohort area or talk to Mr. Petty or email [email protected]

Our school division has put together a few summary documents that have taken the extreme amount of information. It provides a condensed version that is easier to read & interpret. If you're looking for more details, the Update #28 provides a number of links to those details. Thank you to the folks who took the time to put this together. We appreciate it over here at Morris School!

With the ramped up safety measures put in place, we are asking for all of our staff & students to wear the recommended masks and to wear them properly. In our most recent update sent by our school division, there was an explanation of the type of mask as well as a link to more information provided by the province. It stated...

Mask Enhancement Guidance
The province has issued mask enhancement guidance for schools. Please review the following protocols in effect at your child’s school while in the Restricted (Orange) level:

• Non-medical masks are required indoors for all K to 12 students. This requirement includes wearing masks in the classroom and while riding the bus. Masks may be removed indoors for the purpose of eating, drinking and short, infrequent mask breaks where there is physical distancing of two metres (or six feet). Where possible, the focus should be on wearing a mask that fits the face well and has multiple layers, including at least three layers. 3 layered masking can be accomplished by using multiple masks or disposable medical masks. Masks can be provided by schools to students if forgotten/needed, but there is a limited supply. [Morris School Blog Addition]--> The school division/province doesn't have enough of a supply to allow every student in the province to be provided with medical mask at the school on a daily basis. There are a number of students are accessing this supply source on a daily basis. Please see the office if you are one of these students as we will do our best to provide another solution for you.
• Students must also wear a mask while in the gym, even while participating in athletic activity.
• All teachers and staff, including substitute staff, are required to wear medical-grade masks. Medical-grade disposable masks have been issued to all schools. N95 masks are not required as these masks are to be reserved for medical personnel and KN95 masks are not medical-grade masks.

For more information on masks, please visit Mask Guidance for Manitobans by clicking [HERE]

Mr. Brad Curtis sent an important update today via email. We would encourage you to read through all the important information contained in his update. We would expect all of our students and their families to be adhering to all the protocols detailed in that update, specifically keeping your students home when they are sick and wearing the recommended masks appropriately. With the adjustments we have made at the school (detailed below) and our staff & students adhering to the protocols, we give ourselves the best chance to stay healthy.

With the return of our awesome students, we’ve been mandated to social distance them to the best of our ability. That requires us to use all the spaces in our school in ways that will change how we do things until we are told we can loosen up the need to social distance.

In light of the above, we have made the following changes of locations and adjustments to classroom locations and/or schedules…

K-4 - classroom space is adequate to host our K-4 students and social distance them appropriately

5/6 - Mr. Moore’s class has broken down a wall and spread out into two classrooms. Mrs. Skoglund’s class has moved her class to the library. The library will be out of bounds for all other students due to this change. Mrs. Dekezel (bless her heart) will become a traveling library show again. Some library schedules may need to change based on this, but we will do our best to provide the library service to the best of our abilities. The 5/6 classes will still use their lockers, the same entrance & exit door as well as the same washroom facilities.

7/8 - classroom space is adequate to host our Grades 7/8 students and social distance them appropriately. Our Grade 7/8 elective classes may have changed. Please refer to the schedule below.

Grade 9’s - Due to the large number of students in this grade level, our Grade 9’s will be moving to the Senior Years’ gym (mezzanine & west half). Their schedule will see them possibly move out of the gym for some of their classes, but they would remain in the gym for most of their school day. A full schedule of Senior Years' classes and the location of their classroom can be found below. An asterisk beside the room location signifies a change in location compared to when our students left for their break in December.

Grades 10-12 - We will be making use of the Band room for some classes and have busted down the wall between rooms 29 & 33 to allow larger class sizes to occupy those spaces while still being social distanced. A full schedule of Senior Years' classes and the location of their classroom can be found below. An asterisk beside the room location signifies a change in location compared to when our students left for their break in December.

Early Years Phys. Ed. - will be moving outside like last year. On days when the temperature is too cold to be outside, the students will either make use of the gym (forcing some music classes into the classrooms) OR Mr. Ricard will teach a health class on those days. There may be times during the day when Music and Phys. Ed. does not conflict, allowing Mr. Ricard to make use of the gym.

Middle & Senior Year Phys. Ed. - will be moving outside as well. There may be some time for students in their respective gyms if the schedule allows, but we can’t guarantee it. Students should dress warmly with the knowledge that outdoor Phys. Ed. could be a daily reality. With one half of the senior years gym being empty, some activities (like Grade 9 Phys. Ed.) might be able to make use of the empty portion of the gym IF no other classes are scheduled for the Mezzanine or the West side of the gym. Phys. Ed. classes will also be assigned a classroom for health class purposes. Indoor Phys. Ed classes will need to wear masks at all times.

Intramural Programming - IF the schedule allows (Noon - 1 pm), Intramural programming can be held on the east side of the Senior Years’ gym. If this doesn’t work, we will need to plan for outside Intramural activities OR suspend Intramural events until we are able to make full use of the gym.

Extra-curricular activities will be allowed beginning Monday, January 17th. If the Senior Year’s gym is required, they will be limited to to one half of the gym OR be prepared to move desks & equipment from the playing surface of the west half of the gym and then move it back to the exact location after practice has been completed. The Junior Gym can be made available as well after school. All Return to Play protocols plus those mandated by the division or the province will be in effect as well.

Senior Years’ Lunch Spaces: Grades 9-12 students will assigned new socially distanced lunch spaces as well. Starting Monday, the high school students are asked to eat lunch in the following locations:

Grade 9: Senior Years Gym (please at your lunch in the same desks used in Periods 1 & 2)
Grade 10: Room 29/33 and Art Room
Grade 11: Band Room
Grade 12: MPR

We will not be hosting any community use of schools events at least for the next week. We will update all those groups as we progress through this new phase.

Thank you to all of our students, staff, and families for your commitment to remote learning this week! We really appreciate all your efforts.

With the majority of our Physical Education classes moving outdoors, we recommend all students bring the proper clothing to enjoy your class and not be concerned about being cold. 

Feel free to store your winter clothing and boots in your lockers while you are attending your other classes.

Welcome Back everyone!! Interested in playing Bucket Ball? 

What is Bucket Ball you ask? Sign up with your bestie and be ready to show up in the Senior Years' gym at lunch from 12:00 - 1255 pm. Games start Jan 24th
​
Look for sign up sheets in your cohort area this week. 

Cards more your style?Interested in playing in a crib tournament?
Look for sign up sheet in your cohort area or talk to Mr. Petty or email [email protected]

Our Auto Body students was in the Christmas Spirit before the winter break! They lended their time and talents to raise money for our community's Outdoor Courts Project. We appreciate the efforts they put forth with the goal of helping someone else. Way to Go, MAV's!

We will email parents of students aged 5-11 years old separately, but an FYI for others...

Public health will be offering Covid Pfizer Pediatric dose #1 or #2 (with appropriate interval or Informed Consent) at Morris School on Tues. Feb. 15, 2022.
 
Immunized during the school day:
If you feel your child will be comfortable receiving the vaccine during school hours without a parent present, print off and complete the Covid consent (link below) and return to the school office or email to [email protected]  by Feb. 8, 2022.
 
Immunized after school – 5:00 pm:
On that same date, one parent/guardian can attend the school with your child from 4-5pm.  This will be walk-in and pre-screening will take place upon entry.  Please print off and bring your child’s Covid consent form (copies will be available at the clinic) along with your Manitoba Health card to the clinic.  If your child has received a vaccination 14 days prior to the clinic, please have records with you at that time.

Please print off and fill out consent form:
https://manitoba.ca/covid19/vaccine/resources.html#forms
 
Fact sheets can be found at:
https://manitoba.ca/asset_library/en/covid/mrna_vaccine_children5-11.pdf
 
For any further information you can contact Morris Public Health at 204-746-7354 or visit:
https://manitoba.ca/covid19/vaccine/young-people.html
 
If possible, please email your consent to [email protected]
This will allow her to ensure I have enough vaccine on site.