Ontario’s Minister of Health is acknowledging a regional approach to re-opening schools is a possibility.
Christine Elliott made the comments in an interview with CP24 on Wednesday, but notes a decision on a regional strategy for resuming in-person learning at schools will rest with Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams and Minister of Education Stephen Lecce.
Last week, the Bluewater District School Board penned a letter to Lecce urging the province to permit a regional approach that would allow Grey Bruce’s medical officer of health to determine when it is safe to open schools.
Grey Bruce’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra says the region is safe and in a “very good position” for schools to open specifically.
He says Public Health communicates with the Bruce-Grey Catholic School Board and French Catholic School Board (Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence) and his understanding is they are ready for in-person learning as well.
“In our local epidemiology and readiness from our school partners, we are in good standing from all fronts to open as soon as we get the green light from the Ministry,” Arra says.
Bluewater District School Board Chair Jane Thomson says the board of trustees recognizes the decision-making regarding returning to school is complex, but felt it was important to ask the Minister to consider.
“We know that our families are doing their best to support their children with virtual learning, but we’ve been hearing from parents who are saying it’s really been tough on them and tough on their children,” Thomson says. “They’re having a hard time keeping the children engaged in the learning. It’s taking a toll on their mental health and well-being. And families are really balancing a lot of responsibility themselves, doing work and supporting their children.”
Thomson says their hope is that classrooms could meet in lots of ways outside, allowing students to enjoy seeing and engaging with their peers again.
Arra says there are many benefits to resuming in-person learning for students and also points to the help it would provide for parents and guardians, who would be able to return to full-time work once kids are back in the classroom.
“Even if it is two weeks, it is still worth it to have that close to a sense of normality for the children and residents in Grey Bruce,” Arra says. “From that point of view, it’s an easy decision.”
Grey Bruce’s medical officer of health says when it comes to opening schools it doesn’t have to be a provincial approach, but could be regional.
Arra recalls during the January shutdown there was a period when schools opened and Grey Bruce was among the first regions to return to in-person learning.
He says the province is always communicating to find out what health units are in a position to open.
“Grey Bruce, we put our hand up to say we are ready,” Arra says.
Arra says part of the region’s readiness is education workers — including teachers, staff, school bus drivers and others — were offered a vaccine in April.
“We’ve definitely enabled these workers to go back with more confidence that they are protected,” Arra explains.
Publicly funded high schools and elementary schools in Ontario have been closed to in-person learning since students left for spring break on April 9.
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams says he would like to see schools resume in-person learning prior to the province starting the first step of its re-opening plan, which is expected to begin around June 14.
On Tuesday, he expressed openness to a regional approach to resuming in-person learning and said a decision could come soon.
