As seven more Southern Ontario health units are approved to return students to in-class learning on Monday, the ongoing status of schools in the Sault and Algoma remains unclear as of Wednesday.
Currently, parents of elementary school students across the region have the option of sending their children to school in person or keeping them home for remote learning, while high school students in the Sault are required to take part in remote learning under a directive from Algoma Public Health.
The provincial government announced in late December that all schools would be closed and Ontario students would learn remotely for the opening week of the winter term. After Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency on Jan. 12, the remote learning order was extended to Feb. 10 for five Southern Ontario COVID-19 hot spot regions.
Northern Ontario school districts were given the go-ahead from the province to re-open Jan. 11, but Algoma Public Health intervened, keeping high school students in the Sault home until "at least Jan. 25" and making in-school learning optional at the elementary level. Students have been allowed to attend in-class instruction in situations involving special health or education needs.
With a potential return to class for Sault high school students coming up on Monday, APH has not yet indicated what will happen.
“We hope to have a clear picture later this week,” APH spokesperson Leo Vecchio, told SooToday via email Wednesday.
Meanwhile, teachers in the Catholic system are calling for input into the decision-making process at the provincial level.
Liz Stuart, Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) president, stated in a Thursday morning news release “the Ford government likes to present the false choice of school buildings being either open or closed. But what Catholic teachers and many other Ontarians have been calling for since March is a third option: a real plan that would prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools and allow students across the province to enjoy the benefits of in-person learning over the long run.
“Teachers and education workers would be more than happy to help the government by offering our firsthand perspectives on how to implement effective health and safety protocols and maximize student learning," Stuart said. "This is why we have called for the creation of an advisory table that involves the entire education community. With many schools already open for in-person learning for some or all students, and more schools now set to reopen next week, it is imperative that this happen immediately.
“The government has had almost a year to come up with a plan. Instead, they have been lurching from last-minute decision to last-minute decision and hoping for the best, while relying on the federal government to put up the majority of any new education funding. Catholic teachers firmly believe that in-person learning is best for students, and we continue to join families, employers, and many other Ontarians in demanding that the Ford government do more to make it safe and sustainable for schools to be open.”
