Students at Brooke Central Public School are learning from home for the next two weeks.
Lambton Public Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Alvinston elementary school. As a result of the outbreak and identification of variants of concern (VOC), the building is closed to students. The Lambton Kent District School Board website shows six positive student cases linked to the school. The health unit says two of those also tested positive for VOCs.
Director of Education John Howitt said the school will undgergo a deep clean over the next few days, and students will participate in remote learning.
"The health unit has dismissed all of the students within the school to self-isolation to ensure and reduce the spread," said Howitt. "We at the school board have assigned our staff to home for today and tomorrow, to do remote learning from home while we do a deep clean of the school."
Howitt said letters have been sent home to all parents and the health unit is conducting contact tracing.
In a news release Thursday, Lambton Medical Officer of Health Dr. Sudit Ranade said they regret the disruption this may cause families.
“We are working closely with school staff to contact everyone who may have been in close contact with the confirmed cases and are providing guidance to the Lambton Kent District School Board, to support the continued implementation of IPAC measures to help manage the school outbreak and reduce the risk of further COVID-19 transmission in the school community," said Dr. Ranade.
Brooke Central Public School is one of 15 schools within the public board reporting student or staff cases. There's five schools impacted within the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.