Monseigneur-de-Laval school goes online after 3 COVID-19 cases
The west Mountain school will be closed from Wednesday until April 19
Hamilton French Catholic school École élémentaire catholique Monseigneur-de-Laval moved all classes online Wednesday, saying the number of staff in isolation makes it difficult to continue in-person learning.
While Hamilton Public Health Services does not list the school among the declared outbreaks on its website, the MonAvenir school board referred to an outbreak at the school in a release issued Tuesday. It has reported three confirmed cases of COVID-19 since Saturday. The board says the school faces "operational challenges due to the high number of staff presently in isolation."
The board said the school, located on the Mountain near West 5th Street and Mohawk Road West, will be closed until April 19.
"Since Saturday, March 27, we have seen an increase of confirmed cases in the school amongst students," says the release.
The MonAvenir website lists two confirmed student cases in that timeframe, and one staff case. Five classes had already been closed before the decision to move the entire school online.
"This is to protect the health and safety of all citizens by slowing the COVID-19 pandemic and the school outbreak," states the release.
"The school administration is working closely with the authorities and calls upon the full collaboration of parents and the school community to ensure that our individual and collective actions allow for a return to normalcy as soon as possible for all members of our school community and their loved ones."