Public board facing record absenteeism in the midst of sixth COVID wave


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The largest school board in the Windsor-Essex region is experiencing record numbers of daily absences among staff and students as the area and the province deal with a sixth wave of the COVID-19 virus.

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“I’m surprised we’re able to stay open,” said Erin Roy, local District 9 president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.

All across the Greater Essex County District School Board, principals are covering classrooms, teachers are losing prep periods to cover other classes, smaller classes are being combined and some programming involving French, music, or English as a Second Language are canceled so those teachers can presides over other classrooms. Staff from the administrative offices have been re-deployed into schools.

“We are at a record high, far above what our regular daily absences are,” said Vicki Houston, superintendent of human resources for the GECDSB which oversees nearly 36,000 students.

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Houston noted how there are normally two staff members who address daily absences of board employees but currently there are 10 people trying to fill holes.

“Since the March break, this is the worst it’s been,” Houston said. “There are 10 of us who are in the office at 6:30 in the morning to start making calls. We are extremely high in absenteeism in all areas of the board, not just teachers and support workers.”

Mario Spagnuolo, president of the Greater Essex chapter of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario is shown at his Tecumseh office on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.
Mario Spagnuolo, president of the Greater Essex chapter of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario is shown at his Tecumseh office on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. Photo by Dan Janisse /Windsor Star

Mario Spagnuolo, president of the Greater Essex County local of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, said Ministry of Education data for the board shows that most schools are experiencing absences in the 15 to 20 per cent range.

“We’ve had quite a few absences of staff and students due to COVID and it seems to be increasing every day,” Spagnuolo said. “When absenteeism reaches a certain level, the board cancels programs and non-homeroom positions are pulled in to cover the homerooms. It’s affecting everybody. Stress levels are high, mental health is a concern and we’re not sure if this is going to get worse. We’ve seen how other boards have had to pivot to virtual learning.”

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London’s Thames Valley District School Board was forced to close two elementary schools Friday due to “operational concerns related to staffing issues.”

“Every morning we try to figure out the plan for that day,” Houston said. “We’re very fortunate we have not had to close schools.”

Houston added “administration is being very creative in how to provide additional coverage” and she expressed her gratitude to all board staff.

“It’s so hard to keep asking staff to continue to give more and I’m so thankful they continue to do so,” she said.

Houston said retirees and emergency occasional teachers are helping to fill a void exacerbated by record levels of employees on leave, employee resignations and retirements.

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A spokesman for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board said they have “needed to go pretty deep into our occasional list to fill employee absences, but fortunately haven’t had to close any schools.”

The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association has called on the Ontario government to immediately reinstate a mask mandate in schools.

“Students, families, teachers, and education workers — everyone — we all want students in school, safely enjoying the benefits of in-person learning,” said OECTA president Barb Dobrowolski in a statement. “What our students and communities cannot endure are more stress and anxiety from insufficient safety measures, school closures, and whiplash disruptions to the learning environment.”

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OECTA’s statement noted “teacher and education worker absences related to COVID-19 are going unfilled at an unprecedented rate. The number of children being admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 symptoms is spiking.”

Dr. Peter Juni, of the Ontario Covid-19 Science Advisory Table, described skyrocketing case counts like a “tidal wave” spurred on by the number of people who stopped wearing masks when mandates were lifted last month. The advisory table estimates the province is seeing more than 100,000 new cases daily.

Houston said the board continues to provide PPE and encourages anyone still wearing a mask to continue to do so. She pointed out, however, the province doesn’t allow local school boards to invoke a mask mandate.

The ETFO had asked the Ontario government to continue with a mask mandate for two weeks following March break.

“Looking back, that would have been the way to start school,” Spagnuolo said. “What’s frustrating now is that we’re not getting any guidance from the Ministry of Education or the provincial medical officer of health.”

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