Please take the time to review any programs, services and/or events that you offer, in order to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Review our COVID-19 Information for Workplaces page for more information.
A focus on health in schools is an important part of enabling all students to reach their full potential.
Renfrew County and District Health Unit supports school boards, teachers, students and parents at 42 elementary schools and 11 high schools with health related programs and services that are congruent with the expectations of the Ontario Health and Physical Education elementary and secondary Curriculum and the Ontario Public Health Standards.
Health Promoters and Public Health Nurses are available to assist elementary and high school with implementing components of the Foundations for a Healthy School:
- Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
- School and Classroom Leadership
- Student Engagement
- Social and Physical Environments
- Home, School and Community Partnerships
Health Unit staff also provide:
- Immunization Clinics
- Dental Screening
- Vision Screening
- Food Safety Consultations and Tobacco Control
For more information about our School Health Programs and Services contact: schoolhealth@rcdhu.com.
Immunization Clinics
All children attending school between the ages of 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to Ontario’s immunization schedule. Immunization protects children from many serious diseases that are easily spread in schools. For more information see our immunization page.
COVID-19 Preparation
Resources
Elementary
- PHO: COVID-19 Public Health School Safety Plan Checklist
- Ontario: COVID-19 School & Child Care Screening Tool
- RCDHU: Diapering Children
- RCDHU: Increase in Gastrointestinal Illness for Children
- RCDHU: Increase in Respiratory Illness for Children
- RCDHU: Washroom Etiquette for Children
- RCDHU: My Mask Protects YOU – Elementary
- RCDHU: Washing Your Hands
- RCDHU: Do Not Enter If Sick – Elementary
- RCDHU: Wash or Sanitize Your Hands
- RCDHU: Cover Your Cough – Elementary
- RCDHU: Wear Your Mask – Elementary
- RCDHU: Practice Physical Distancing – Elementary
- Ontario: COVID-19 Printable Screening Tool for Employees and Essential Visitors in Schools and Child Care Settings
Secondary
- PHO: COVID-19 Public Health School Safety Plan Checklist
- Ontario: COVID-19 School & Child Care Screening Tool
- RCDHU: My Mask Protects YOU – Secondary
- RCDHU: Do Not Enter If Sick Poster – Secondary
- RCDHU: Cover Your Cough – Secondary
- RCDHU: Wear Your Mask – Secondary
- RCDHU: Practice Physical Distancing – Secondary
- Ontario: COVID-19 Printable Screening Tool for Employees and Essential Visitors in Schools and Child Care Settings
Parents
- School Mental Health Ontario: How to Support a Mentally Healthy Back to School for Your Child
- RCDHU link: COVID-19 Back to School/Childcare Confirmation Form (Updated Nov, 2021)
- Ontario: COVID-19 Screening Tool for Children in School and Child Care
- RCDHU COVID-19: Who is considered a close contact at school?
- Public Health Ontario – How to care for a child who needs to self-isolate
Guidance Documents
- COVID-19 Integrated Testing & Case, Contact and Outbreak Management Interim Guidance: Omicron Surge (Aug 31, 2022)
- COVID-19: Interim Guidance for Schools and Child Care: Omicron Surge (Jan 10, 2022)
- RCDHU: Recommendations for Additional COVID-19 Protective Measures in School Settings (Dec 16, 2021)
- COVID-19 Guidance: School Case, Contact and Outbreak Management
- Ontario COVID-19: Health, Safety and Operational Guidance for Schools (2021-2022)
- Guide to Reopening Ontario’s Schools
- Ontario’s School Reopening Plan Technical Briefing
- Ministry of Education: Before and After School Programs Guide
- Ministry of Education: COVID-19 Face Covering Procurement and Delivery to Child Care and Early Years Programs
Useful Resources
- RCDHU Form: Attestation for Return to Work Following Illness (Updated Feb 4th, 2021)
- RCDHU COVID-19: PPE Modification in Schools Fact Sheet
- RCDHU COVID-19: Guidance for Food in Schools
- RCDHU COVID-19: School Bus Safety
- RCDHU COVID-19: Infection Prevention and Control for Reopening of Workplaces
- RCDHU Poster: My Mask Protects YOU
- Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium: Student Transportation Request Protocol
- Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium: COVID-19 Information (Including Response Plans)
- Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium: Pandemic Planning Process
- Government of Ontario: COVID-19 Reopening Schools
- Government of Ontario: COVID-19 Supports for Students and Parents
- Government of Canada: COVID-19 guidance for schools Kindergarten to Grade 12
Préparation pour la COVID-19
Ressources
- RCDHU Programme d’alimentation saine pour les élèves – Aliments « prêts à emporter » (format légal)
- RCDHU Programme d’alimentation saine pour les élèves – Aliments « prêts à emporter » (format lettre)
- RCHDU Programme d’alimentation saine pour les élèves – Aliments « prêts à emporter » – Préparation des glacières et des bacs/cabarets
- RCDHU COVID-19 Fonctionnement sécuritaire pour les centres de dons
- RCDHU COVID-19 LIVRAISON SANS CONTACT
- RCDHU COVID-19 Attestation pour le retour à l’école
- RCDHU COVID-19 Directives de la santé publique nourriture dans les écoles
- COVID-19 – Sécurité en transport scolaire
- Veuillez svp porter un MASQUE / COUVRE-VISAGE à l’intérieur de cet établissement
- Enlever l’équipement de protection individuelle
- Comment mettre l’équipement de protection individuelle
- Affiche ”Dépistage COVID-19’’ pour entrée
- Comment mettre et retirer un masque
- Le lavage des mains
- COVID-19: Trousse de prévention et de contrôle des infections
- Aidez-nous à freiner la propagation de la COVID-19 !
- Lave ou désinfecte tes mains
Élémentaire
- Affiche “Mon masque te protège” – Élémentaire
- Couvre ta toux – Élémentaire
- Porte ton masque – Élémentaire
- Practique la distanciation physique – Élémentaire
- Ne pas entrer si vous êtes malade – Élémentaire
- Outil de dépistage de la COVID-19 pour les employés et les visiteurs essentiels dans les écoles et les services de garde d’enfants
Secondaire
- Affiche “Mon masque te protège” – Secondaire
- Couvre ta toux – Secondaire
- Porte ton masque – Secondaire
- Practique la distanciation physique – Secondaire
- Ne pas entrer si vous êtes malade – Secondaire
- Outil de dépistage de la COVID-19 pour les employés et les visiteurs essentiels dans les écoles et les services de garde d’enfants
Parents
- COVID-19 – Attestation pour le retour au travail suite à une absence pour cause de maladie
- Dépistage de la COVID-19 pour les écoles et les services de garde d’enfants
Ressources utiles
- Santé publique Ontario: Maladie à coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) – Conseils pour les écoles par temps froid
- Gouvernement de l’Ontario: Outil de dépistage de la COVID-19 pour les élèves et les enfants allant à l’école ou dans un service de garde d’enfants
- COVID-19 : Document d’orientation sur la gestion des cas, des contacts et des éclosions dans les écoles
- Gouvernement de l’Ontario COVID-19 : directives en matière de gestion, de sécurité et de santé pour les écoles (2021-2022)
- Consortium de transport scolaire d’Ottawa: Mesures préventives à bord des véhicules scolaires – COVID-19
- Gouvernement de l’Ontario: COVID-19 : Réouverture des écoles
- Gouvernement de l’Ontario: COVID-19 : Soutien aux élèves et aux parents
- Gouvernement du Canada: Directives relatives à la COVID-19 à l’intention des écoles de la maternelle à la 12e année
Infection Control Measures
Everyone has the potential to come into contact with microscopic germs during interactions with people and the environment. Schools have common characteristics that include shared spaces such as washrooms and classrooms.
Link: How to Wash Your Hands/How to Sanitize Your Hands
Link: Steps to Put on and Remove a Face Mask
Link: Steps to Put on and Remove a Cloth Mask/Face Covering
Cleaning and Disinfecting
It is important to keep school settings clean to stop the spread of illness. Cleaning is the physical removal of dirt and germs from a surface by wiping or scrubbing, while disinfection kills germs using a chemical solution.
Tips to Remember
Not all products are equal: some are cleaners, some are disinfectants, and some can be used for both. Review the label and ingredients to figure out what your product can be used for. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for product use (e.g., how long it must stay wet on a surface, mixing, and safety instructions). High-tough surfaces include doorknobs, activities and horizontal surfaces, such as table tops, are where bacteria and microorganisms are prone to settling. These surfaces require frequent cleaning and disinfection.
Link: Cleaning and Disinfecting in Public Settings
Public Health Ontario: Chlorine Dilution Calculator
Health Canada: Hard-Surface Disinfectants and Hand Sanitizers (COVID-19)
Health Canada: Medical Devices for Use Against Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Reportable Diseases and Infection Control
The Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act lists over 70 communicable diseases that must be reported to local health units. Directors of many institutions, including schools, are responsible for reporting suspected cases of reportable diseases to the local Health Unit. All reports are followed up by a Public Health Nurse or Public Health Inspector.
The Communicable Disease Guidelines for School and Child Care Facilities is intended to provide you with general information about communicable diseases commonly experienced by children, and to help you identify and prevent the spread of illness. Within this guide, you will find a description of common childhood diseases including information on how they are spread; incubation periods; periods of communicability; prevention; and facility reporting requirements. There is also information on general infection control practices that any facility can implement to prevent the spread of disease.
Communicable Disease Guidelines for Schools and Child Care Facilities 2019
How to report communicable diseases
- See the list of Reportable Diseases.
- For diseases which need to be reported immediately, call 613-732-3629 during office hours, and 613-735-9926 during evenings, weekends and holidays.
- For all reportable diseases, complete the Communicable Disease Reporting Form for Child Care & Schools and fax to 613-735-3067 by the next business day.
Useful Resources and Signage
Hand Washing (English)
Hand Washing (French)
Alcohol Based Hand Rub (English)
Childhood Illness and Exclusion Guide (English)
Ottawa Public Health Chain of Infection
Are Your Tots Up to Date with Their Shots
We are Seeing: An Increase in Gastrointestinal Symptoms
We are Seeing: An Increase in Respiratory Illness
Health for All Schools E-Newsletters
Health for All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 1, Number 2
Health for All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 1, Number 3
Health for All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 1, Number 4
Health for All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 1, Number 5
Health for All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 1, Number 6
Health For All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 2, Number 1
Health For All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 2, Number 2
Health For All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 2, Number 3
Health For All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 2, Number 4
Health For All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 3, Number 1
Health For All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 4, Number 1
Health For All Schools E-Newsletter Volume 4, Number 2
Health and Physical Education Teaching Resources
Teachers in Renfrew County and District can borrow teaching resources from the Health Unit for a two-week period.
Healthy Eating in Schools
The Renfrew County and District Health Unit Dietitian works in partnership with Health Unit school contacts to promote healthy eating in schools.
Formerly called ‘Nutrition Tools for Schools’, BrightBites is a free, non-profit program created by Registered Dietitians working in public health units across the province.
Students and teachers need to eat well to be at their best, physically and mentally. Boosting school nutrition can be challenging. BrightBites makes it easy and rewarding! Win badges, receive recognition and watch your school transform – one bite at a time.
For support to create a healthy nutrition environment in your school contact our Registered Dietitian at 613-732-3629 ext. 327.
Renfrew County Youth Needs Assessment Report
Since 2013, the Renfrew County Youth Network (RCYN) with leadership from the Renfrew County and District Health Unit has been striving towards the development, implementation and sustainability of a Renfrew County Youth Engagement Strategy. The strategy would provide a framework for decision makers and community organizations to inform decision making to meet the needs of local youth.
The report intends to provide a summary of survey feedback collected through online surveys of youth aged 12-24 years of age and RCYN members and a series of youth sharing circles hosted by RCYN members throughout Renfrew County.
Renfrew County Youth Needs Assessment Report, 2018 (English) (PDF 73 pages)
Rapport d’évaluation des besoins des jeunes du comté de Renfrew, 2018 (French) (PDF 84 pages)