GUELPH – With pandemic restrictions beginning to ease again, the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) will be returning to in-person board meetings.
WCDSB director of education Mike Glazier told the board on Feb. 7 that with Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) recently rescinding a work -from-home order, staff and trustees will be returning to in-person board meetings next month.
A Dec. 20 letter of instruction issued by WDGPH Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer indicated those that could work from home should be working remotely to mitigate the growing COVID-19 case counts in the health region.
“Since that time, they have lifted that letter of instruction, so with that we will be looking to gradually return some of the activities that we’ve had such as in-person board meetings, in-person policy and corporate services meetings, beginning in a couple weeks,” Glazier said.
“We’re looking forward to that and we’ll gradually return a number of other activities that we have throughout our system, our school system, once we get the approval from [WDGPH].”
Trustee Marino Gazzola expressed his support for the return to in-person board meetings.
“I think it’s time that we look at it, schools are back, our staff is back, students are back, and I think it’s an opportunity for us to show our support as well,” he said.
“Maybe at this time we consider simply the board meetings and leave the committee meetings where they are, but I strongly support going back in person for our board meetings,” he suggested.
Glazier said currently the board is able to provide the option for hybrid attendance for the upcoming corporate services meeting, but the next board meeting is scheduled to return to in person in March.
“So there is that option for trustees if they wish to participate in an online format and we can continue to do that,” he said.
“Some of the other committee meetings that we have been looking at we are still looking at perhaps waiting until we get further advice from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, [keeping] in line with the reopening of other things within our communities.”
He noted committees like the Catholic Parent Involvement Committee and the Special Education Advisory Committee will likely be on a longer timeline for returning in person.
