Elementary - Curricular 2024
- Consult Risk Management.
- The safety standards for this activity must be presented to the activity provider prior to the activity taking place. The activity provider must meet the minimum requirements listed in the safety standards. For more information on planning trips using outside providers, consult Outside Activity Providers.
Equipment
- Determine that all equipment is safe for use (for example, no sharp corners, cracks, or splinters). Students must be encouraged to report equipment problems to the Teacher.
- Equipment must be appropriate for age and ability of students and size of the room.
- Equipment must be safely stored when not in use.
Clothing/Footwear/Jewellery
- Appropriate footwear must be worn and securely attached to the foot.
- Exposed jewellery must not be worn.
- When long hair poses a safety risk it must be secured. Devices (for example, hair pins, elastics and barrettes) used to tie back long hair must not present a safety concern.
- Students must not participate when the length of fingernails poses a safety risk to themselves or others.
Facilities
For classrooms, multipurpose rooms, hallways, stages, library, stairs, gymnasiums and outdoors
- Determine that all facilities are safe for use. Students must be encouraged to report facility problems to the Teacher.
- Playing surface and surrounding area must be free of all obstacles and must provide safe footing and traction.
- Prior to activity, inspect activity area and eliminate potential hazards. For those hazards which ensure they are clearly marked and communicated to students.
- For all facilities, outline the boundaries for the activity (for example, use masking tape for classroom), keeping boundary lines a safe distance from furniture, walls and obstacles as applicable.
- There must be enough room between students, furniture/equipment and walls to allow for freedom of movement.
- Where a hall or stair activity involves passing through a doorway, the door(s) must be secured open.
- Large stages can be used, but the edge must be marked off and students kept back from the markers.
- Locker doors must be closed.
- In the gymnasium, floor plugs must be used to cover the holes in which poles for nets are usually placed.
- When engaging students in an activity in the school neighbourhood, prior to initial use of the route, Teachers must do a safety check “walk through” in order to identify potential hazards and severely uneven surfaces which must be brought to the attention of the students.
- When engaging students in an activity in the school neighbourhood (for example, a power walk), Teachers must familiarize students with the route before the initial attempt (for example, note areas to approach with caution). Students must not cross intersections unless directly supervised.
- Walls, stages, equipment, trees, and posts must not be used as turning points, finish lines, end zones, or boundaries. Establish a clearly delineated boundary line away from the hazards, using visual markers (for example, lines, pylons), to prevent contact/collision.
- When running takes place off school site for a warm up:
- Teachers must do a safety check ‘walk through’ in order to identify potential problems prior to initial use of route or course.
- Teachers must outline to the students the route or course (for example, notice of areas to approach with caution) before the start of the run.
- Teachers must determine that students are not crossing busy intersections unless directly supervised.
Special Rules/Instructions
- Be aware of students whose medical condition (for example, asthma, anaphylaxis, casts, previous concussion, orthopaedic device) may affect participation. Consult Medical Conditions.
- Students must not participate in the activity until they receive information on concussion prevention specific to the activity, inherent risks of the activity (for example, outline possible risks and ways to minimize the risks), and procedures and rules for safe play. Students must receive instruction on the importance of reporting symptoms related to a suspected concussion.
- Refer to school board policies and procedures (i.e., transportation, excursion/field trip) for communication with parents/guardians, the location of an off-site activity, means of transportation, supervision ratios, and parent/guardian permission.
- Activities must be modified according to the age, ability level, language, and experience of students, number of participants, and the facility available.
- Previous training, fitness level, and the length of time and intensity of physical activity must be taken into consideration.
- Activities must be based on skills that are taught.
- Skills must be taught in proper progression.
- A proper warm-up and cool-down must be included.
- Students must be instructed on the safe use of equipment prior to use.
- Remind students to be cautious when moving, and to be aware of personal space of others.
- For activities that include jumping actions, review safe landing techniques (for example, landing on balls of feet with bended knees).
- For Tag Games, clearly define areas of the body that can:
- be tagged (for example, arms, back, legs). Instruct students
- that a tag is a touch, not a push, punch or a grab.
- Adequate liquid replacement (personal water bottles, water fountains) must be accessible for students before, during, and after physical activity to prevent dehydration.
- Students must be informed that the use of equipment and the gymnasium are prohibited without supervision. In addition to verbal communication, the doors must be locked or signs must be posted indicating that students are not allowed to use the gym unless appropriately supervised.
Classroom
- Include activities that have a controlled amount of movement (for example, running on the spot, chair exercises, Ophea’s 50 Fitness Activities).
Multi-purpose room, hallway, stage, library, stairs
- Include activities that have a controlled amount of movement, based on the size of the area (for example, aerobics, mat work, fitness stations, skipping, and dance).
- If the activity area is a common open area (for example, an atrium, a forum, a library, hallway), students who are not involved in DPA must walk around the outside of the area being used for activity or must be redirected to take another route.
- Do not allow activities that include racing or end-to-end activities.
- When students are ascending or descending stairs, they must be in control and must have access to a hand rail.
Gymnasium
- When involving students in circuits, there must be enough room between stations and between the station activity and the wall for safe movement.
Outdoor
- Take into consideration environmental conditions (temperature, weather, air quality, humidity, UV index, insects). Attention must be given to length of time students have been outside, and intensity of activity.
- Take into consideration accessibility to adequate liquid replacement (personal water bottles, water fountains) and student hydration before, during and after physical activity.
- Inform parents/guardians and students of the importance of sun protection (for example, sunscreen, hats) and insect repellent.
- For winter activities, discuss with students how to prevent, recognize, and treat frostbite and hypothermia.
- Inform school office whenever DPA activities will be held outdoors.
- Students must stay in pairs or groups (the buddy system) if they are going to be out of the teacher’s sight for any reason.
- For activities in the school neighbourhood:
- For grade 1 – 3: One (1) Teacher/Volunteer must be at the front of the group with the other at the back of the group.
- For grade 4 – 8: One (1) responsible student must be at the front of the group and a Teacher at the back of the group.
Supervision
- All activities must be supervised.
- The type of supervision must be commensurate with the inherent risk of the activity. The level of risk is related to the number of participants, the skill level of the participants, the type of equipment used, and environmental conditions.
- On-Site Supervision is required during the safety and initial skill instruction.
- On-Site Supervision is required for the duration of all other components of the activity (e.g., equipment setup and take down, warm-ups/cool downs, application of the skills and games).
- Grades 7-8: In-the-Area Supervision is required when students are walking and running in the community.
- A Volunteer, under the direction of a Teacher, can monitor students during physical education activities. Refer to your school board’s policy on Volunteers assisting with students’ physical activities.
- Responsibilities must be clearly outlined for additional Teachers and Volunteers who are monitoring the activity.
- Where a Qualified Instructor is used and the Teacher is not directly with the Qualified Instructor, the Qualified Instructor must provide safety and initial skill instruction, and monitoring for the safe application of skills and student behaviour for the duration of the activity.
First Aid
- A working communication device (for example, cell phone) must be accessible.
- Follow the school's first aid emergency response (consult First Aid Plan and First Aid Emergency Response) and the school board’s concussion protocol (consult Concussions).
- An emergency action plan and response to deal with evacuations and lock downs must be followed and communicated to students.
Definitions
- In-charge Person:
- Some activities refer to an “In-Charge” person. While the teacher is in-charge and responsible for the overall safety and well-being of students under their care, sometimes there are other personnel who must be identified as “In-Charge” related to specific situations (for example, a pool lifeguard). In activities where an “In-Charge” person is designated, that person, in consultation with the teacher, must make final decisions regarding safety of the students
- Monitor:
- An individual who assists the Teacher with a group of students, (e.g., Volunteer, Qualified Instructor) and has a responsibility to monitor student behaviors for the duration of the activity.
- Monitoring:
- The role of monitoring is to observe, identify, act, and report:
- Observe: Observe with attention to detail the actions of the students.
- Identify: Identify the student and the unsafe behaviour.
- Act: Take appropriate actions to safeguard students and others (e.g., stop the activity).
- Report: Provide the name of the student and the unsafe behaviour to the teacher for management and direction.
- Outside Activity Provider:
- A commercial company, volunteer organization, or individual, not associated with the school board, who possess the required qualifications to provide safety and initial skill instruction, and monitoring for the duration of an activity.
- Qualified Instructor:
- An individual who provides safety and skill instruction, and monitoring for an activity, and possesses the required qualifications (e.g., experience, certifications). This role could be fulfilled by a teacher, volunteer, or an employee of an outside provider. An instructor does not have the authority to supervise.
- Supervision:
- The vigilant overseeing of an activity for management or direction. Activities, facilities, and equipment have inherent risks, but the more effectively they are supervised, the safer they become.
- The Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education includes three Types of supervision, Direct Supervision, On-Site Supervision, and In-the-Area Supervision. These types of supervision take into consideration the level of risk, which is related to the number of participants, the skill level of the participants, the type of equipment used, the environmental conditions, the age, and developmental stage.
- The three types of supervision described are not hierarchical but represent the type of supervision that activities require and the type of supervision that is inherently possible.
- Some activities in OPASSE transition from one type of supervision to another type of supervision (e.g., Direct Supervision to On-Site Supervision OR On-Site Supervision to In-the-Area Supervision).
- Teacher:
- A person with a current certification from the Ontario College of Teachers and under contract by the school/school board (i.e., teacher, vice-principal, principal). This person is legally responsible for the students and has the authority and responsibility to supervise.
- Types of Supervision:
- Direct Supervision:
- Direct Supervision requires that the Teacher is physically present at the activity, providing visual and verbal oversight for management and direction of both, the activity and student safety.
- Provisos:
- No other activity can occur when part of the activity or the entire activity is under Direct Supervision when there is only one Teacher supervising.
- The Supervision section of the relevant activity safety standards page in the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education describes when parts of an activity are under Direct Supervision.
- Where a Qualified Instructor(s) is providing the safety and initial skill instruction and monitoring for one activity and requires the Teacher to be present at that activity for management and direction.
- An activity may be under Direct Supervision:
- During the entire duration of the activity;
- During the set up and take down of equipment; .
- During the safety and initial skill instruction;
- During the performance/practice of the activity skill; and
- When the activities transition from Direct Supervision to On-Site Supervision.
- In-the-Area Supervision:
- The Teacher is located in proximity to a combination of locations where the student activities take place, is circulating, and is accessible for providing management and direction of the physical activity and student safety.
- Provisos:
- The Teacher is circulating between the activities occurring at separate locations, and is readily accessible, or the location of the Teacher is communicated to the student.
- Where a Qualified Instructor(s) is providing the safety and skill and instruction and is monitoring at a combination of locations, the Teacher is located in proximity to where the student activities take place, is circulating between the activity locations, and is accessible for management and direction.
- Students may be out of sight for periods of time.
- An activity or a component of the activity is under In-the-Area Supervision:
- Where the same activity is located in separate locations (e.g., Fitness activities);
- Where two or more activities under In-the-Area Supervision occur in separate locations (e.g., Badminton, Table Tennis, Handball (Wall));
- Where the skill application of the activity takes place at a separate location from the teacher (e.g., Cross Country Running, Skiing (Alpine), Cycling, hiking on trails);
- When the activities occur in double or triple gymnasiums; and
- Where more than one Qualified Instructor is providing activities at a combination of locations.
- On-Site Supervision:
- The Teacher is present at one location where the student activity takes place (e.g., gymnasium, sports field, climbing wall at an Outside Activity Provider’s facility, campsite) and is accessible for providing management and direction of the physical activity and student safety.
- Provisos:
- Where more than one activity occurs in one location, the Teacher is circulating between the activities and is accessible for management and direction.
- Momentary presence in adjoining rooms (e.g., equipment room, outdoor storage shed, boathouse, staff tent) is considered to be On-Site Supervision.
- Where a Qualified Instructor(s) is providing the safety and initial skill instruction and monitoring for an activity or a combination of activities at one location and the Teacher is present and is circulating and accessible for management and direction.
- An activity may be under On-Site Supervision:
- During the entire duration of the activity;
- During the safety and initial skill instruction;
- With activities using multiple stations while the Teacher is circulating;
- When combining two or more activities at one location while the Teacher is circulating; and
- When activities transition from On-Site Supervision to In-the-Area Supervision.
- Volunteer:
- A responsible adult (e.g., Educational Assistants, Retired Teachers, Co-op Students, Parents/Guardians, Teacher Candidates) approved by the Principal/Designate who is under the direction of a Teacher and has been instructed on their monitoring responsibilities. Refer to your school board’s policy on volunteers assisting with student’s physical activities.
Wed, 10/16/24 11:03 am
