Ontario schools are preparing to welcome students back to in-person learning beginning Monday, January 17, as the province’s plan as directed appears to be moving forward.
Limestone District School Board (LDSB) Communications Officer Karen Smith says local schools are prepared to return to an in-person setting, however as of Tuesday afternoon they had yet to receive confirmation of the Ministry of Education and expect more information later this week.
Smith says the school board is prepared to continue supporting students, staff and families in a remote learning capacity if the provincial government decides to further delay a return.
The Ford government announced a reversion to a modified step two of the Roadmap for reopening on January 3, saying the duration of these measures would depend on public health trends.
As of Tuesday, Ontario had 3,220 COVID patients in hospital, with 477 in the ICU.
Even though other provisions remain in place, such as the closure of in-person dining and indoor recreation, students and teachers are now expected to be in schools on Monday.
in a statement of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO), ETFO President Karen Brown says teachers’ unions were not consulted on the province’s decision and were left to hear the news from reporters on social networks.
In the statement, Brown says the union has questions about what changes, if any, have been made to ensure the safety of students and staff.
“After witnessing the Ford government’s repeated failure to slow the spread of COVID-19, we are not surprised by last night’s back-to-school announcement, if we can call it that,” Brown said.
“We are left wondering, once again, what has been done to ensure that in-person learning can return safely and sustainably, and why is the Ford government not consulting with the ETFO or sharing its plans with us directly?”
Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, said during the back-to-school delay that the province would provide all education workers with N95 masks and add 3,000 high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. ) to schools.
In its statement, ETFO expressed concern that there has been no confirmation that any of those things actually happen, as well as the general lack of reports and evidence available in schools.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce is expected to speak at a news conference on Wednesday.
Reference-ygknews.ca