The director of the Bluewater District School Board says they're fully prepared for all possibilities as they ready to reopen schools.
Lori Wilder says they're closely following Ministry of Education and Grey Bruce Health Unit protocols.
Bluewater Board children will start back to school on a staggered basis Tuesday and by mid September all kids whose parents have chosen to allow them to return will be in the classroom.
Wilder says she's confident in the measures the Board has taken to make schools safe. But if an outbreak in a school does occur the board is prepared and will look to the Health Unit for direction.
"Parents and guardians in an affected school will be notified in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 and so we as a board will looking to Grey Bruce Public Health for any direction regarding next steps. They are the ones who take the lead on this," said Wilder.
She says a positive case would not necessarily mean a school closure.
Again that would be up to health officials.
Wilder adds the Board has plans in place in case the educational model they're pursuing needs to be changed. That could mean a switch to a hybrid model with more children staying home and learning on line.
She says parents have a big role to play in assessing their children every morning and watching for symptoms before sending them to school.
Pre-registration numbers as of August 19 show 91 per cent, or 15,500, Bluewater students will return to class with 1,580 opting for remote learning.