October 28, 2020

Spruce Grove GSA kids, caregivers, and community!
Updated Tuesday October 27, 2020
With the rise in Covid-19 cases and the mandatory health restrictions placed on all communities, including Spruce Grove and the Tri-Region, our Spruce Grove GSA has updated one of the rules we have in place for our COVID-19 Protocols. 
 
Mandatory measures (as of Oct. 26th, 2020) by AHS Alberta Health Services
https://open.alberta.ca/publications/cmoh-order-35-2020-2020-covid-19-response

• Spruce Grove GSA now has a mandatory 15-person limit, INCLUDING coordinators, volunteers, and youth.
  • Please email sprucegrovegsa@gmail.com or text 780-655-0384 with your attendance. 

• All youth attending will be requested to check in BEFORE 10:00am on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month. Our Schedule is planned out until 2022! 
• There is a TON of notice to text or email the day or night before GSA! J

 
On a side note. I would like to personally thank our Spruce Grove GSA youth, volunteers, caregivers, coordinators, St. Andrew’s United Church, the community of Spruce Grove and the surrounding areas. 
But really… wow!!! Our YOUTH!!! 
 
We had our last GSA meeting on February 28th! Then we temporarily closed in March for two GSA meetings while we came to grips with what was happening in our world.
When we reopened, we opened outside slowly. We had prebooked appointments of one kiddo at a time in the parks and greenspaces around Spruce Grove. Then we started expanding our GSA to include more and more youth, we slowly and carefully rebuilt. It was fabulous to reconnect with everyone again. 
Our youth have been amazing. We have been an outside GSA since March. They have put up with random ideas like “let’s pick up garbage for fun!” We have had a few trying times in public spaces, our kids are used to having their safe space at St. Andrew’s United Church. But there have been phenomenal times as well! Like my spontaneous idea of a walk through a forest, that turned into a race from a cloud of killer mosquitos! Who knew Spruce Grove had so many mosquitos!! 
Also, our GSA kiddo’s thought of the idea for Spruce Grove’s first ever Car Pride Parade! This kept our youth and community safe when we couldn’t hold our usual Pride event’s. We are already planning for the 2nd Car Pride Parade for Spruce Grove!
We have definitely experienced new things this summer. Our GSA has rolled with the changing season, the times, temperatures, we’ve made new friends throughout the community. We have grown. But that’s our purpose, we try to provide a safe inclusive space for our youth and when they are ready, they begin to reach out to the community, some even move away for school and we miss our kids, but WE ARE SO PROUD! Throughout everything that has happened in the last few months, our kids have been the most resilient. 
Thank you for the smile’s kids!
Thank you to every person who has smiled this year! Even if you are wearing a mask, keep smiling. We need those smiles now, more than ever. You can see those smiles in people’s eyes, and you can feel them in your heart. I know that I can, and I have.
 
Sincerely
Jody Tucker (she/her) 
 
COVID-19 Protective Measures for Spruce Grove GSA Society
 
To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, these protocols have been put in place to help ensure the health and safety of the following: 

• Youth who attend Spruce Grove GSA. 
• Family and extended family of youth in attendance. 
• Coordinators, volunteers and organizations who administer programing at Spruce Grove GSA. 
• Renters and groups who use the spaces at St. Andrew’s United Church, 1A Fieldstone Drive. 
• General public who may come into contact with those aforementioned. 

 
Although we have taken care to adhere to the guidance of the Government of Alberta, by attending the Spruce Grove GSA you acknowledge that, even with the best precautions in place, it is impossible to guarantee no exposure to COVID-19 whether while traveling between your home and the GSA or within the confines of the Spruce Grove GSA.
 
Screening for Symptoms: 

• Ensure that each youth, volunteer, or coordinator has self-screened for the following possible COVID-19 symptoms.
• Self-screening is done prior to attending any programs or events with Spruce Grove GSA.

 
Please ask yourself the following questions. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, please do not attend the GSA, and follow the public health guidelines 
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page16944.aspx
Do you have any possible COVID-19 symptoms? 

• Possible symptoms: Fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, chills, painful swallowing, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste, loss of smell, muscle or joint aches, headache, conjunctivitis (eyes appear pink or reddish pink).
• Have you, or anyone in your household, travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days? 
• Have you or your children had close unprotected contact 

(face-to-face contact within 2 metres/6 feet) with someone who is ill with cough, sneezing and/or fever? 

• Have you or anyone in your household been in close unprotected contact in the last 14 days with someone who is being investigated or confirmed to be a case of COVID-19? 
• Have you, a member of your household, or a person you are exposed to, been diagnosed with COVID-19? 
• General screening will also be done prior to entry into the building at 1A Fieldstone Drive, or any events with Spruce Grove GSA.

 
If any person has or develops symptoms, they will be removed from the group and asked to stay an appropriate distance from the rest of the group until and a safe route home is ensured. 
 
 
Distancing Measures 

• All youth or adults attending Spruce Grove GSA, and any event hosted by the GSA, will be required to maintain a minimum distance of 2 metres/6 feet from each other. 
• This includes outdoor GSAs/events, seating within the GSA, getting snacks or drinks, using a washroom, washing or sanitizing hands, participating in activities and walking into the building or down the stairs of the GSA. 
• Universal washrooms are to be used by one individual at a time. 

 
Cleaning 
All high touch surfaces to be used will be cleaned prior to youths’ entry. 

• High touch surfaces to be cleaned include the bathroom, tables, backs of chairs (that will be used during the GSA), kitchen (if used), inside door handles, outside door handles, door locks, railings to the downstairs hall, and all light switches. 
• Only one (universal) washroom will be used at any given time and only one person may use the washroom at a time. 
  • The 2nd universal washroom will remain closed unless there is an emergency. At that time, all disinfecting measures will be carried out before it is able to be used again.
  • The Spruce Grove GSA coordinator must be informed when the washroom is finished being in use so the necessary steps to sanitize all possible points of contact can be implemented. 

 
All high touch surfaces will be cleaned after the last youth exits the building, to ensure the next group’s safety. 

• High touch surfaces to be cleaned include the bathroom, tables, backs of all chairs used, kitchen (if used), inside door handles, outside door handles, railings to the downstairs main hall and all light switches. 

 
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Inclusive Measures 

• Spruce Grove GSA youth are being provided with reusable, reversible 100% cotton cloth masks (as they are available). 
  • If a youth participant forgets to bring their mask a disposable mask will be provided. 
  • If a mask becomes dirty, damaged, or wet, a new disposable mask will be provided.
    
  • Use of hand sanitizer and frequent handwashing will be mandatory. 
    
  • All snacks and drinks will be prepackaged to prevent cross-contamination of germs.
    • Although appreciated, we cannot accept extra snacks or sharing of snacks from home at this time.
    • One youth at a time may select snacks and drinks after washing their hands or using sanitizer. 
    • Mask use indoors is mandatory at all times, the exception being when you are at a table eating or drinking.
• Any activity or craft supplies used, will be sanitized before and after each use. 
  • Each youth will use hand sanitizer before using supplies for activities or crafts.
• Physical distancing of 2 metres during games, activities, and visiting is STILL required.

 
 
Contact information for staff and volunteers 

• All youth, adults, volunteers and organizations will be required to privately provide their contact information (email, phone number, address and name), so that they can be notified in the event of known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. 

• The contact information is private and will not be used unless there is need to notify each person individually as a result of known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. 

 
 
Updated Tuesday October 27, 2020
With the rise in Covid-19 cases and the mandatory health restrictions placed on all communities, including Spruce Grove and the Tri-Region, our Spruce Grove GSA has updated one of the rules we have in place for our COVID-19 Protocols. 
 
Mandatory measures (as of Oct. 26th, 2020) by AHS Alberta Health Services
https://open.alberta.ca/publications/cmoh-order-35-2020-2020-covid-19-response

• Spruce Grove GSA now has a mandatory 15-person limit, INCLUDING coordinators, volunteers, and youth.
  • Please email sprucegrovegsa@gmail.com or text 780-655-0384 with your attendance. 

• All youth attending will be requested to check in BEFORE 10:00am on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month. Our Schedule is planned out until 2022! 
• There is a TON of notice to text or email the day or night before GSA! J

 
 
The protective measures Spruce Grove GSA Society has put in place are to protect participating youth, their families, coordinators, volunteers, organizations, renters and groups of St. Andrew’s United Church, and the general public. 
 
If these protective measures are not recognized or followed, the organizers of Spruce Grove GSA Society will take the appropriate action and temporarily remove the individual in question until the protective measures are agreed to and followed accordingly. We appreciate everyone’s efforts to ensure that the Spruce Grove GSA continues to be a safe and welcoming place for youth.
 
 
Sincerely
Jody Tucker (she/her)