Less Omicron surveillance leaves Ontario teachers, parents worried about unknown
Teachers' union warns parents to expect 'interruptions' due to teachers away with COVID-19 symptoms
Ontario's Ministry of Education is expected to announce details on the return to in-person learning on Wednesday but recent changes to its school reporting guidelines have parents and teachers worried about a lack of information about the presence of COVID-19.
The premier's office has confirmed a return to classrooms starting Monday, but new interim guidelines state public health units won't routinely notify students of a positive case or someone self-isolating due to COVID symptoms.
That could have implications for the spread of the virus among staff and families trying to decide whether to send their children back to in-person classrooms, according to Melaka Hendela, co-chair of the Ottawa Carleton Association of School Councils.
She says the province needs to be much clearer about what this means and what measures are in place.
"Schools should be open, but they need to be safe for our kids," Hendela said.
Hendela says she's concerned parents don't know about recent changes to the interim guidance for schools and whether their child is exposed to someone with COVID-19.
The updated guidelines also say public health units will no longer dismiss cohorts, instead leaving it up to schools and school boards based on their operational requirements.
Brace for school closures, union says
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario says it is uncertain about how schools are any safer than when the decision to delay opening was taken, and the union believes disruptions remain likely.
"I think what parents need to brace themselves for are school closures, interruption because of staffing, there's not enough staffing," said union president Karen Brown.
Pat Dixon, president of the Ottawa Carleton Elementary Occasional Teachers' Association, says the lack of case reporting will create difficult situations for teachers called on to substitute, especially because they lack sick leave benefits.
"As an occasional teacher, I don't want to be called for a job or select a job off the job board not knowing how many cases of COVID are in that building," Dixon said.
"I have to stay healthy in order to have an income."
His union does not have information on how many of its members are available, but it does have a roster of 1,500 potential substitutes, she said.
WATCH | Occasional teachers want better-informed decisions:
Take-home PCR test kits still available
Dixon said the new guidelines have left her feeling like officials are no longer trying to limit the spread of the virus.
"It's almost as if we've decided that this is no longer a pandemic, this is an endemic, and we're going to live with it," she said.
In a statement, Ottawa Public Health said it's still studying the new guidance and take-home PCR test kits are still available for staff and students who develop COVID-19 symptoms at school.
Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliott said Tuesday the delay in reopening in-person schooling allowed for accelerated vaccinations and boosters for school staff, the delivery of more rapid tests from the federal government, and the distribution of N95 masks for school staff.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board has reported a shortage of teachers, early-childhood educators and educational assistants, and says it has 450 casual staff members to cover assignments.
The Catholic board has created a "classroom supervisor position" when a qualified educator is not available to cover a class.
WATCH | Lacking information on what awaits Monday:
When no other options are available, classes could be cancelled for senior secondary students or, in some cases, entire classes, grades and schools could be moved to remote learning during COVID-19 outbreaks.
The Catholic board's statement also says the ministry has allowed rotating schools to move to remote learning to decrease demands on occasional staff.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board declined to comment before ministry makes its announcement.
With files from Radio-Canada's Catherine Morasse and Giacomo Panico