Ontario school boards suggest clearing lockers before break

Amid increasing cases of COVID-19 in the province, a number of Ontario school boards are asking students to bring their belongings home in the event of a transition to learning at distance after winter holidays.

the Toronto District School Board said in a note he was recommending the move “out of caution” and had not received any indication from the provincial Education Department or Toronto Public Health that the schools would close.

Students will also be sent home with a rapid antigen test kit, with five tests, during the break between December 20 and January 3.

Representatives from Waterloo region’s public and Catholic school boards say they are preparing for a possible switch to distance learning Next year.

The Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo District Catholic School Board have asked students to bring home all necessary items before the winter break, which is scheduled to run from December 17 to January 2.

The York Region District School Board said in a message to families over winter recess that it is working on a plan to reopen schools in January, but is ready to switch to virtual learning if the province makes the announcement, reports the Canadian Press.

And in London, Ontario, the Thames Valley District School Board sent a letter to families also advising children to empty their lockers and bring their belongings home by Friday in case schools switch to distance learning in January.

ATLANTIC CANADA

Meanwhile, all four Atlantic provinces have identified cases of the Omicron variant, with some adjusting their winter vacation and considering possible changes to their back-to-school plans.

In Nova Scotia, the provincial Department of Education announced on Wednesday that students in public schools would start their vacation early, with classes ending on Friday.

Officials previously announced that the vacation would be extended by two days until January 6.

The ministry says a small number of schools have had to switch to home learning, with others possibly doing so before Friday.

Several schools reported Exposures to COVID-19 in recent weeks, but so far seven have introduced strengthened public health measures, two of which were lifted on Wednesday. However, strengthened public health measures took effect on Tuesday, including the lack of holiday gatherings or concerts and the limitation of school sports to team skills training only.

The province has linked hundreds of recent cases of COVID-19 to an outbreak in Saint-François-Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, although the provincial government has said symptoms have been relatively soft, most involving young people who have been fully immunized. A number of tightening of public health restrictions will go into effect in the province on Friday, including new indoor and outdoor assembly limits.

Cases in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island have been linked to the outbreak at St. Francis Xavier University, according to The Canadian Press.

New Brunswick Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said Wednesday children will receive take-home rapid test kits as part of a “holiday testing blitz. “

Pupils in Kindergarten to Grade 6 will receive two kits, with five tests each, while students in Grades 7 to 12 will receive one kit, allowing children and teens to take quick tests every two or three days during the break, Shephard said.

Meanwhile, the province’s Education Minister Dominic Cardy said a more rigorous rapid testing program would be in place for the remainder of the school year.

Public health officials in Prince Edward Island should make a recommendation in early January on the reopening of schools.

With files from The Canadian Press