Feb 1: Schools in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, Southwestern, and Middlesex-London Public Health Units to Reopen for In-Person Learning

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Adalsteinn Brown, dean of the University of Toronto’s Public Health Department; THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Schools in four more public health units in southern Ontario will reopen for in-person learning on Monday, but students in several other regions will continue to learn online.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Thursday that students will be able to return to physical classrooms in the Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, Southwestern, and Middlesex-London public health units.

He said the government made the decision based on recommendations from the province’s chief medical officer of health.

“The government agrees with the growing consensus in the medical community that returning students to in-person learning is essential to the wellbeing, development and mental health of children, “Lecce said in a statement.

All students began their winter term online as part of a provincial lockdown and the government extended remote learning for many as Ontario continues to fight COVID-19.

Thursday’s announcement comes after the government allowed schools in seven other public health units to resume in-person learning this week. Schools in Northern Ontario, where virus rates are lower, returned to in-person learning on Jan. 11.

 

Students in all other public health units in southern Ontario – including those in Toronto, Peel and Windsor – continue to learn online.

The government said Thursday that the province’s top doctor will continue to review public health trends and advise when in-person learning can resume in other public health units.

It also said that local public health units continue to have the authority to close schools based on their own circumstances. Parents can also continue to have their children enrolled in remote learning.


Following schools boards will resume in-person learning on February 1:

  • Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
  • Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario
  • Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien
  • Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Centre-Est de l’Ontario
  • London District Catholic School Board
  • Ottawa Catholic District School Board
  • Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
  • Thames Valley District School Board
  • Upper Canada District School Board

Two additional school boards that span across multiple PHUs may have some schools that resume in-person learning on February 1, 2021 while other schools will continue to teach remotely. The local PHU should be contacted on the status of schools in these boards:

  • Conseil scolaire catholique Providence
  • Conseil scolaire Viamonde

 

Schools in five hot spots – including those in the Greater Toronto Area – are set to remain online until Feb. 10.

Others in southern Ontario that are teaching students remotely do not yet have a specified date for when they can resume in-person learning.

The province said Thursday that the total number of students able to return to in-person learning now stands at 520,000.

Lecce has said that as part of an effort to get students back in physical classrooms safely, the province will conduct asymptomatic testing at schools, enhance screening and require students from Grades 1 and up to wear masks.

Ontario reported 2,093 new cases of COVID-19 and 56 more deaths linked to the virus.

The province is expected to release new projections on the virus later Thursday.

The data will come two weeks after the province imposed a stay-at-home order in a bid to halt surging case spread.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2021.

Shawn Jeffords, The Canadian Press

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