A member of the École Alpha Secondary school community has tested positive for COVID-19. They are self-isolating at home with support from public health. For more information, please click the links below to view the letters that were emailed to families and staff last night.

Letter from Mr. Tim Wozney, Principal, École Alpha Secondary
Letter from Fraser Health

Please remember to notify the Main Office and your child’s teachers when your child is away.

To notify the Main Office, please email alpha.info@burnabyschools.ca or call 604.296.6865, extension 2, and include the following information:
• Student’s full name, student number (if parents know), and grade
• Date(s) and/or period of absence
• Reason for absence

To notify your child’s teacher(s), use the Staff Directory at https://alpha.burnabyschools.ca/school-info/staff-directory/ to find their email addresses.

SCHOOL PHOTO RE-TAKES:  Artona will be at Alpha for retakes on Tuesday, October 13, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm only.  Anyone who was absent at our last photo day may be photographed on retake day.  Grade 12s are not permitted to have a retake, and students in Grades 8 through 11 will only be allowed a retake if one of the following is obvious in their original photo:  your eyes are closed, there is substantial glare in your eyeglasses, your posture or head tilt is poor.  Because of Covid, students whose original picture does not meet these conditions will not be permitted in the Small Gym.  Students who are approved for a retake MUST hand in the current GoCard in order to take a new picture.

GRADE 12 PRESENTATION:  All Grade 12 students are invited to a Teams presentation with the counsellors, Ms. McChesney, Ms. Gillam, and Ms. Lim, at 2:30 on Wednesday, October 28.  This very important presentation will cover the following topics:

1. Graduation requirements
2. Post-secondary requirements
3. CLC and Capstone
4. Scholarships, Bursaries, Awards
5. Graduation Activities

A recording of the presentation will be made available for parents afterwards.  Prior to the presentation, Ms. Lim will also be emailing a survey on MS Forms to students’ O365 email accounts…please use this form to submit any questions that you would like us to answer during the presentation.

SCHOOL PHOTOS NOW AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AND ORDERING ONLINE:

To view and order your school photos online, please visit https://artona.com/order and click on “School Photo View and Order.”  You will then need to enter your STUDENT NUMBER PLUS the 2-DIGIT NUMBER FOR YOUR DATE OF BIRTH.  For example, your student number is 123456 and your birthday is September 8…your online code is 12345608.

The following daily health check is for students and their families to determine if the student should attend school that day.

*Check BCCDC’s Symptoms of COVID-19 regularly to ensure the list is up to date.

If the student answers “YES” to one of the questions included under ‘Key Symptoms of Illness’ (excluding fever), the student should stay home for 24 hours from when the symptom started. If the symptom improves, you may return to school when you feel well enough. If the symptom persists or worsens, seek a health assessment.

If you answered “YES” to two or more of the questions included under ‘Key Symptoms of Illness’ or the student has a fever, seek a health assessment. A health assessment includes calling 8-1-1 or a primary care provider like a physician or nurse practitioner. If a health assessment is required, the student should not return to school until COVID-19 has been excluded and your symptoms have improved.

If you answered “YES” to questions 2 or 3, use the COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool to determine if the student should seek testing for COVID- 19.

When a COVID-19 test is recommended by the health assessment:

• If the COVID-19 test is positive, you should stay home until you are told by public health to end self -isolation. In most cases this is 10 days after the onset of symptoms. Public health will contact everyone with a positive
• If the COVID-19 test is negative, you can return to school once symptoms have improved and you feel well enough. Symptoms of common respiratory illnesses can persist for a week or more. Re-testing is not needed unless you develop a new
• If a COVID-19 test is recommended but is not done because you choose not to have the test, or you do not seek a health assessment when recommended, and your symptoms are not related to a previously diagnosed health condition, you should stay home from school until 10 days after the onset of symptoms, and then you may return if you are feeling well

If a COVID-19 test is not recommended by the health assessment the student can return to school when symptoms improve and they feel well enough. Testing may not be recommended if the assessment determines that the symptoms are due to another cause (i.e. not COVID-19).

A healthcare provider note (i.e. doctor’s note) should not be required to confirm the health status of any individual.

To all grade 8 students attending the Cultus Lake Waterpark Field Trip, please DO NOT be late in the morning.  We will meet in the SMALL GYM at 8:15am.  The school bus will leave without you if you are late!!!

Remember to bring your swimwear, towel, sunscreen, change of clothing and food or money for lunch.

If there are questions about the trip, please see Mr. Tsang in the PHE Office in the Large Gym.