Hastings Prince Edward District Board officials are warning of potential temporary adjustments to classes or schools due to a rise in staff absences because of COVID-19.
Director of Education Katherine MacIver issued a letter to parents Wednesday stating the rising number of COVID cases is making it increasingly challenging to maintain a full complement of staff at some schools.
She says their intention is to keep schools open for in-person learning and that they are taking several actions to address the shortage of supply workers, including actively recruiting new supply staff, reorganizing staff and students within schools, and using centrally assigned staff to cover school absences.
In addition, all sports, extracurriculars and tournaments occurring during the day will be paused for the next few weeks as they manage the staffing shortages.
Should students be required to stay home, every effort will be made to notify parents and guardians the night before and students will continue learning online.
And while a majority of trustees with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board voted in favour of a motion to reinstate a mask mandate this week, Hastings Prince Edward District School Board will not be following suit.
The board’s communications spokesperson Kerry Donnell tells Quinte News, local public school board trustees discussed the issue at their committee of the whole meeting Monday evening and decided to continue promoting that masks are recommended for everyone, although it is a personal choice.
The Ontario government dropped mask mandates in most indoor public places last month.
Read the letter from the Director of Education below:
Student safety is always our priority. With that in mind, the rising number of COVID-19 cases in our local communities is making it increasingly challenging to maintain a full complement of staff at some of our schools.
Our intention is to keep schools open for in-person learning, and we are taking several actions to address the shortage of supply workers, including actively recruiting new supply staff, reorganizing staff and students within schools, and using centrally assigned staff to cover school absences. For the next few weeks, all sports, extracurriculars and tournaments occurring during the day will be paused while we manage significant staffing shortages.
When staff absences cannot be filled with supply coverage, it may be necessary to request that students remain at home. This would be a temporary adjustment in their learning. On such days, students will be able to access their online classroom to keep connected to learning. Their teacher(s) will provide more information if this happens.
In these situations, your child’s school will make every effort to notify you the night before through the normal school-home communication process. They will try to give you as much notice as possible to enable you to make child care arrangements for the following school day.
Learning to live with COVID-19 will take some time to adjust and adapt. We continue to strongly encourage the use of protective measures, including wearing masks. Washing hands and practising cough and sneeze etiquette are good habits at all times. Remember to have your child do COVID-19 screening before going to school each day and to stay home if they have symptoms of illness.
We appreciate your flexibility. Please be kind and understanding of the choices others make.
Sincerely,
Katherine MacIver
Director of Education
