The South East Cornerstone Public School Division announced ramped-up COVID-19 protocols at their board meeting yesterday in Weyburn, as COVID-19 numbers rise provincially.

Masks will now be mandatory for students from prekindergarten through Grade 6 while indoors. Students from Grade 7 to 12 will have to wear masks if a positive case attended their school while infectious.

This comes into effect across the division's schools on Monday.

"Our situation in the province and in the communities has become more challenging," said Director of Education Lynn Little. "When we take a look at our plan at what we are attempting to achieve, certainly our goal is to provide a safe learning and teaching environment for all following the advice of our medical experts to assist us in this endeavour. And we strive to maintain a safe environment so that we can remain in a face-to-face delivery."

Protestors outside the school division's Weyburn offices yesterday.

Several opponents to masking in school spoke at the start of the meeting, and protestors appeared outside the building.

"Our safe school plan requires masks indoors at times, as well as in hot, non-air-conditioned school buses," said Lindsay Borys - Sterling, who has four children at schools in Weyburn, to the board. "The board seems to have decided to go beyond the provincial recommendations and also violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms."

Another woman, Mandy Szczecinski, also spoke against mandatory masking and mentioned Section 7 of the Constitution. Section 7 states: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice."

Other measures being taken include rearranging classrooms for improved social distancing for prekindergarten through Grade 6. All desks will be forward-facing.

Barriers will also be used in classrooms, and are already being used according to Little.

Prekindergarten and kindergarten will develop small cohorts. Little said it's "really important an interactive play base continues."

High schools have continued a two-period structure to there are fewer students mixing with each other throughout the day.

"There's a public health order that came down on Monday," said Little. "There's an impact on schools and there's some real positive opportunities for face-to-face learning."

Students that are classmates of COVID-positive students won't have to isolate during school. 

"Students are able to attend school and ride the bus to and from school," said Little. She added that it doesn't include extracurricular activities, and that the student must isolate at home outside of school hours.