In-person learning welcome, but back-to-school plan lacks detail: Hamilton educators, unions
Schools need to focus on kids' recovery from impacts of online class, expert says
Hamilton educators, their unions, school board chairs, local public health and an infectious diseases specialist say it's good to see students returning to class in September, but some want a more robust reopening plan.
Ontario's back-to-school plan was released Tuesday and contains details about masking, screening, extracurricular activities and optional online learning. The plan states all staff and students Grade 1 and up must wear masks in indoor settings, with exceptions, such as during meal breaks and low-contact physical activities. Also, team sports, field trips, assemblies, recess and extracurricular activities will be back on.
It doesn't include much on how schools will manage COVID-19 cases and outbreaks.
More than 4,800 Ontario schools had to close at some point between September and June due to COVID-19 cases, with 11,462 students contracting the virus, provincial data shows.
Concerns about cohorting
"With regards to the plan that's in place ... I don't have the confidence this is going to do the job," said Joe Cappadocia, a secondary school teacher with Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB).
He has concerns about how the plan includes continuing to cohort students in classes but not during extracurriculars or in common spaces, like gyms and cafeterias.
Jeff Sorensen, Hamilton-Wentworth Elementary Teachers' Local union president, and Daryl Jerome, the local Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) president, echoed those comments.
"My members are obviously concerned but want to be back in the classroom," Jerome said.
Deb Turner, the incoming local OSSTF president of office, clerical and technical staff, said she won't know exactly what to expect until she sees how Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) incorporates the plan.
"It leaves questions about the safety of our members and the students and communities they work with," she said in an email.
Sergio Cacoilo, the local Ontario English Catholic Teacher's Association president for Hamilton secondary schools, said he is happy with what he sees so far, but said he's concerned it may be too soon to re-introduce extracurricular activities.
Public health waiting on details but supports in-person classes
Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, said in a statement that public health is still reviewing the reopening plan but is encouraged by what she has seen so far.
"We do await further updates from the province as it relates to school reopening, including a revised symptoms checklist for screening, and school case, contact and school outbreak management guidance," read the emailed statement.
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She said students ought to learn in-person because of how virtual learning and pandemic restrictions have impacted them.
McMaster Children's Hospital previously highlighted "frightening increases" in referrals of youth into its eating disorders program, and hospital admissions following a suicide attempt or due to substance use disorders.
Richardson also said "the clock is ticking on community members getting protection with a first and second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine."
She said public health is collaborating with the public and Catholic school boards and is setting up school-based COVID-19 vaccine clinics before the end of the summer and in September. Vaccines remain available only for those age 12 and older.
Schools need to focus on recovery plan: expert
Dawn Danko, HWDSB chair, and Pat Daly, HWCDSB chair, both said they're also excited to see students return to in-person learning.
Danko said she hoped the plan would be more comprehensive but also said there is much less uncertainty this year compared to last year.
The previous school year saw school boards take the unprecedented step of reorganizing staff and students with just over a week before classes began after thousands of families opted for online learning. The start of the year was fraught with classes getting delayed, a bus driver shortage, technical issues with online learning and lots of uncertainty.
Daly and Danko also hope the pre-pandemic semesters and timetabling will return, particularly in secondary schools.
Dr. Martha Fulford, an infectious diseases specialist at McMaster Children's Hospital, said while people may want more details about the school reopening plan, children and youth usually have very mild symptoms, if any, when infected with COVID-19.
She also said there isn't evidence that shows a lot of COVID-19 transmission in schools and the benefits of having kids in school outweigh the cons, especially with people being vaccinated this time around.
"We're at a different phase of what we're dealing with because vulnerable adults are protected and so for thinking what's the best thing we can do for the health and well-being of our children, it's focusing on their losses," Fulford said.
"How are we going to help our kids recover? What are we going to do for reintegration, for helping them get over this, for dealing with mental health issues ... what are we going to do about the lost education deficits because of what's happened?"
Parents, students and teachers: We want to hear from you!
We hope you'll use this form to tell us about school conditions, how classes are going, or other pressing issues on your mind this September in Hamilton, Niagara, St. Catharines and Burlington areas.
With files from Shanifa Nasser and Yasmine Ghania