WELLINGTON COUNTY – While local school boards currently anticipate an in-person return to school in January, with COVID-19 cases on the rise and the Omicron variant spreading rapidly, they are preparing for the possibility that may not happen.
As of Dec. 16, there are 101 active COVID-19 cases at 32 schools and two daycare centres across the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region and several Guelph schools closed and moved to online learning this week.
So as students head home for the holiday break, school boards are reminding families to adhere to public health guidelines and to be prepared for a shift to remote learning in January.
“While we hope that this holiday season is not interrupted, we do recognize the need to be prepared for a wide range of circumstances,” a post on the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) website states.
On Dec. 15, UGDSB issued a letter to parents and guardians, reminding families to adhere to COVID-19 public health measures during the break.
While no decisions have been made by the province at this time, UGDSB officials are urging families to be prepared in the event that schools switch to online learning.
“We understand that there may be challenges as the winter break approaches and encourage all families to consider what we can all do to make the return to school in January 2022, as safe as possible,” the board says.
Both the UGDSB and the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) recently sent home information about rapid antigen testing kits for use over the break and kits are being sent home with students this week.
“At this time, we are preparing for a return to in-person instruction,” WCDSB communications officer Ali Wilson stated in an email.
“If circumstances change, information will be sent directly to parents and posted on our website.”
Should schools switch to remote learning, UGDSB students and families will be notified through the board’s website, automated voice-messages and through social media.
“In the past, you will be aware we have had to change learning models quickly when COVID-19 cases have surged,” the UGDSB post added.
“As always, it is important to be prepared for any changes and schools are prepared to do so, should we find ourselves in that situation again.”
Several Guelph schools switched to online learning for the remaining days leading up to the break due to a surge in cases.
