HWDSB asks families to prepare for potential shift to remote learning
Board director hopes vaccinating educators sooner than later can help keep schools open
Hamilton's public school board is asking parents to prepare for a potential shift back to remote learning in April.
In a message to families on Tuesday, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) director Manny Figueiredo said it's unclear if the province will make the move and recommended children bring their belongings home for the long weekend.
"The last time, we didn't know until it was actually the holiday break," Figueiredo said in a phone interview on Wednesday morning.
"I'd rather have parents prepare to just take things home versus over the weekend finding out it is closed and then how do we get people access to their stuff?"
The April break is still scheduled to take place between April 12 to 16, but the message comes as Hamilton schools have seen more COVID-19 cases this month than any other.
March sees most COVID-19 cases in schools
In March, HWDSB recorded 228 cases, while the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board recorded 95 cases, for a total of 323 cases among the two boards. In December, there were 191 cases between both boards.
"That's why we're encouraging parents to take things home," Figueiredo said.
He said he's torn about moving to remote learning because it can be hard for families who cannot work if their kids are not in the classroom. It's also hard on some students.
"People are tired of the uncertainty, always transitioning to different modalities," he said.
"Kids are fatigued ... people want the full school-life experience."
Figueiredo acknowledges schools have had staffing issues due to COVID-19 cases too. Dr. Davey Elementary School moved to remote learning for two weeks because an outbreak caused staffing issues.
He hopes educators will be able to get vaccinated to help keep schools open.
"We're in the home stretch. I'm hopeful the vaccination for our sector will really be a game-changer for us so in September we can have kids in schools," Figueiredo said.
Asymptomatic testing clinics
HWDSB will host two more asymptomatic testing clinics on April 7 at Bernie Custis Secondary School from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and at Westdale Secondary School from 11:15 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The board also said Hamilton Public Health Services has switched how it tells families their students are close contacts to someone with COVID-19.
Rather than a phone call, families with receive a contract tracing package through school.