Welcome back to learning at IHN!
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We hope you enjoyed your summer break and are returning ready to start an exciting semester of studies at IHN!
Here you will find all that you need to know for our return to studies, both online and on campus in September 2020, including information on how we plan to provide a safe educational environment. Please note that this information will be updated as the latest directives from the Ministry of Education and public health authorities are released. Directives are fluid and will be re-evaluated regularly based on the guidance documents for reopening schools. As communicated previously, IHN is planning a gradual and phased approach to return to in-class studies.
Our first step is to offer a hybrid model incorporating both in-class and online study opportunities.
The following provides a general overview of our plans and protocols for your return to in-class sessions:
IHN’s Commitment:
The Institute Of Holistic Nutrition (IHN) is deeply committed to providing excellence to its students. IHN students’ health and safety (physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual) constitute the primary focus of our hybrid plan to return to campus this September.
What to Expect:
Each entrance and exit to our campus lecture rooms will be marked indicating entry and exit points. Touch surfaces at all campuses will be regularly cleaned every day. Each lecture room will be completely sanitized prior to a new group entering for the next lecture.
Personal Protective Equipment:
Students are required to wear a mask upon entering the buildings on IHN campus. At this time, students must also wear masks in all public areas of the campus and in the lecture rooms. Students may choose to wear a disposable non-medical mask or a cloth mask. Students must supply their own masks. Faculty will wear masks in public areas but will not wear masks while teaching in the lecture room(s) as they will be at least 7 feet from seated students.
Class Sizes:
Class sizes will range between 10 and 20 students–campus and group dependent. The hybrid system will only run in-class sessions on alternating weeks and only in instances where a group has at least ten students.
To support surveyed students who wanted in-class now, please contact your campus as soon as possible to confirm your desire to participate in-class. In the event we cannot achieve a minimum of 10 students per group the lectures will be held online only.
Social Distancing:
Physical distancing of 2 metres will be observed, when possible, indoors. Seating in all lecture rooms are spaced 2 metres apart to allow for physical distancing during class. Entry, exit and break times will be staggered to ensure distancing protocols are maintained.
Hand Hygiene:
IHN students know the importance of hand washing and should continue regular hand hygiene using soap and water for periods of 20 seconds throughout the day as required. In place of soap and water, students may also use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Signage will be posted throughout the school, reminding students to observe proper hand hygiene regularly.
Bathrooms:
Please note that in-suite bathrooms (except Vancouver campus) are closed to students. At the Ontario campuses, there are several convenient bathrooms within each of our buildings for student use. You can find clean facilities in the common areas of the buildings both on the same floor as the campuses as well as other common areas.
Kitchenettes:
Kitchenettes are closed to students at this time. Students may bring their own food and cups/cutlery but must take them with them upon departure. No kitchen amenities including refrigerators will be available for student use at this time. Please note kitchenette facilities will not be available but our hot water dispenser as well as our reverse osmosis filter system water will be made available for all students. One person at a time at both of these stations would be appreciated to help observe physical distancing. A hand sanitizer station will be in place for all kitchenettes.
Protocol for Students Demonstrating Symptoms of COVID-19:
Any student experiencing or demonstrating symptoms associated with COVID-19 will be asked leave and seek a professional assessment. If any student is suspected of having symptoms of COVID-19, the IHN will inform public health per the directive of the Government of Ontario.
COVID-19 Self-Assessment
Before coming to campus, students and staff must perform a COVID-19 self-assessment. Anyone exhibiting symptoms should not come to campus and notify your campus administration immediately.
Entering and Exiting the Campus:
Access to the campus, include our administration offices, will be limited upon return to classes. Physical distancing protocols will be observed and making an appointment, in advance, with any administration staff is highly recommended.
Designated Doors for Student Entry and Exit:
At campuses with multiple entry doors IHN will have entry and exit routes marked. We ask students to please follow the directions posted at your campus.
Late Arrivals:
In the event of a late arrival, students should enter through the designated entry points.
Visiting the Campus:
Visitors are required to contact the Administration Office of any campus and obtain appointments in advance of any visits.
Visitors are also required to perform a COVID-19 self-assessment before travelling to campus. All visitors will be required to sign-in at the Campus Offices upon arrival for contact tracing purposes.
On-Campus and Online Hybrid Format Learning:
Beginning in September 2020, students will attend classes both on-campus and online in IHN’s hybrid format system.
In-class students will not have access to WiFi during this Step 1 phase to ensure appropriate bandwidth for the live streaming of the lecture. All courses will have a synchronous online learning component which requires that we support your “classmates” who are learning online with uninterrupted access to the sessions.
Our timetable allows for flexibility to implement a multi-step approach for the much anticipated and full return to in-class instruction on campus:
Step 1:
Hybrid In-class and Online Lectures (September 2020):
In-class and online synchronous lectures being scheduled on alternating weeks according to your group.
Step 2:
In-Class Learning:
Full return to in-class learning with restrictions and protocols as outlined by the Ministry of Education and public health authorities. Online classes will shift to in-class learning retaining existing student timetables.
Step 3:
Return to In-Class Learning Without Restrictions
In-class learning without restrictions and return of all normal program activities.
In the event of a potential school closure, the current timetable can be shifted entirely online with students maintaining their assigned Instructor and Group without disruption to their courses.
Lecture Schedules (Alternating Between In-class and Online):
Students will be commencing studies on September 14th, alternating between in-class lectures every other week with online lectures the following week. Only students who pre-register will be able to take advantage of the in-class option. The in-class lectures will be limited to 10-20 students depending on the campus and lecture room size.
New September 2020 students will be commencing in-class lectures on September 14, 2020 with online lectures the following week. Returning students will be commencing online lectures on September 14th and will be on campus the following week September 21, 2020. The groups will alternate weekly on this format.
Lunch
Students will have the opportunity to eat lunch in the lecture room only. Eating lunch or congregating in public areas will not be permitted. Kitchenette facilities will not be available. The hot water dispenser as well as our reverse osmosis filter system water will be made available for all students. One person at a time at both of these stations to observe physical distancing. A hand sanitizer station will be in place for all kitchenettes.
Accommodations
Return of In-Class Studies:
IHN acknowledges that despite the extraordinary steps being taken, there may be students with unique medical circumstances that need to be considered. If there are extenuating circumstances you would like to address, please contact your campus to discuss the details of your situation.
Students who are granted a mask exemption will be required to minimize time through public areas and sit in the back row of the lecture room.
Communications
Your SonisWeb portal will be your primary source of information for our return to classes in September 2020. The portal will be regularly updated as information becomes available.
In the event of a significant update, IHN will communicate with you via direct email and point you to your Student portal.
Thank you!
The IHN team thanks you for your support and cooperation through our efforts to return to in-class lecture formats. This has been an unprecedented time in our community’s history and we continue to work together to support your learning journey. We are excited to commence the September 2020 Fall semester and look forward to seeing you!