The local Catholic school board has approved its plan for students to return to the classrooms this fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB) said on Wednesday that it has submitted the plan to the Ministry of Education, which will see elementary school students resuming classes in a conventional model. However, secondary school students within the board will see a much more restricted approach.
Director of Education Terry Lyons said the board feels its plan is the best way to have students return to the classroom while reducing the risk of further spread of COVID-19.
"In developing this plan, we have carefully considered balancing the risk of direct transmission and infection in children with the potential impacts of school closures on their physical and mental health," he said in a statement. "We have also tried our best to be cognizant of the needs of working parents."
The WECDSB said secondary school class sizes will be limited to around 15 students unless physical distancing can be maintained in a larger classroom. As well, students will attend two periods a day rather than their usual four periods. Each period will be approximately 150 minutes.
Secondary school students will be divided into Cohorts A and B and will attend school on a two-week alternating schedule (three days in the first week and two days in the next week). When unable to attend class in person, students will be expected to access their classroom virtually.
When attending both elementary and secondary schools, students in Grades 4 to 12 will be required to wear non-medical or cloth masks at all times while indoors. Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 will be encouraged but not required to wear masks while indoors. Removal of the masks will be permitted while outdoors.
Students will be assigned designated entrances and will be asked to maintain physical distancing at all times. Only essential visitors will be permitted to enter schools and all visits must be pre-arranged by making an appointment.
Cafeteria food sales will not be offered when school resumes and enhanced cleaning methods will be utilized at each school to reduce the likelihood of transmission.
Any student who experiences symptoms of illness while in school will be immediately separated from other students and staff until a caregiver can pick them up. Students will be instructed to consult a health care provider and report back to the school if the child tests positive for COVID-19.
Should a staff member develop COVID-19 symptoms, they will be instructed to return home and seek medical attention. All staff will also be required to complete a self-assessment on a daily basis.
"We fully understand that some parents may be apprehensive about sending their children back to school during a pandemic," Lyons said. "Please be assured that we have examined every facet of our operations to make this the safest experience possible for our students and our staff and that we do have plans in place for those parents who do not wish to send their children back to school."
Parents will be required to inform the school board whether or not their child will be attending in-person classes by pre-registering both secondary and elementary students. The board intends to release more information about the preregistration process soon.
On June 19, the province's Ministry of Education instructed all school boards to submit guidelines for students to return to school in September.
"Although this plan is very comprehensive, please keep in mind that due to the continually evolving nature of the situation, it is subject to change," Lyons added.
For further information about the board's return to school plan, click here.