(Escarpment View Public School in Milton)
Halton schools are able to reopen on Monday, February 8th.
The reopening announcement was made Wednesday afternoon by the provincial government and Education Minister Stephen Lecce.
Elementary and secondary schools in the following PHUs will return to in-person learning on Monday, February 8th:
- Brant County Health Unit
- Chatham-Kent Public Health
- Durham Region Health Department
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
- Halton Region Public Health
- City of Hamilton Public Health Services
- Huron Perth Public Health
- Lambton Public Health
- Niagara Region Public Health
- Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
Schools in Toronto, Peel, and York Regions are all able to reopen on Tuesday, February 16th.
There are new measures in-place that have been made by the provincial government to protect staff and students. They include:
- Provincewide access, in consultation with the local public health unit, to targeted asymptomatic testing for students and staff.
- Mandatory masking requirement for students in Grades 1 to 3, and masking requirement for Grades 1 to 12 outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
- Providing 3.5 million high quality cloth masks to schools as back-up supply for Grade 1 to 12 students;
- Enhanced screening for secondary students and staff.
- Guidance discouraging students from congregating before and after school.
- Temporary certification of eligible teacher candidates who are set to graduate in 2021 to stabilize staffing levels, following high levels of absenteeism.
Minister Lecce says the goal is, and also has been, making sure that kids can learn safely.
“Following the best medical advice, with the clear support of both Ontario’s and the local Medical Officers of Health, we are reopening schools across the province knowing that we have taken additional steps and made additional investments to better protect our students and staff. Nothing is more important than returning kids to school safely because it is crucial for their development, mental health, and future success.”
The provincial government says that local PHUs are the final judge, saying in a release that “PHUs continue to reserve the authority to close schools to in-person learning based on local circumstances.”
