Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
Earlier this week, Ontario Health’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore made additional changes to the COVID-19 guideline for the province. His update was followed by further details from the Ministry of Education which provided specific guidance to school boards. Last night, the Trustees held a Special Board Meeting to review the guidance and define the impact on school staff, students and the Toronto District School Board.
For the past two years, TDSB has prioritized the health and safety of students, staff and the school community. As we move to a more sustainable, long-term approach to managing COVID-19, we encourage you to continue with the layers of protection that make you comfortable. Please remember to show respect for others and their individual choices based on their own risk assessment.
We remain committed to supporting a healthy, safe and respectful environment for all students and staff. Let us ensure that our schools continue to be welcoming and inclusive spaces for all, regardless of personal decisions associated with COVID-19 health measures.
In accordance with the direction of the Ministry of Education, the following health and safety measures will continue to remain in place:
- Students and staff are expected to complete daily evaluations before entering a TDSB building
- Improved cleaning
- Optimizing air quality and ventilation, including having more than 17,000 HEPA filters in each occupied classroom
- Encouraging hand hygiene and breathing ethics, such as coughing up your sleeve
- Reporting daily staff and student absences and notifying Toronto Public Health when absences exceed 30%
- Distribution of Rapid Antigen Tests to support symptomatic testing only
- Providing medical masks to students upon request and medical masks and/or N95 masks and other PPE for staff upon request.
In accordance with the direction from the Ministry of Education, the following health and safety measures will change or no longer be in place.
Masking
Beginning March 21, it will no longer be necessary to wear masks in schools, although they are strongly encouraged. Personal protective equipment, including medical and N95 masks, face shields and goggles, will continue to be provided to school boards for staff. Medical masks are also available to students.
Vaccination
The Board of Trustees voted to repeal the COVID-19 Vaccination Procedure for Employees, Trustees and Other Individuals (PR734) and remove the mandatory requirement for staff to be vaccinated, beginning March 14. This measure is in line with the provincial direction. on health and safety measures and follows consultation with TDSB union and federation partners. So far, more than 90% of TDSB staff have been fully vaccinated. In addition, older students have a high immunization rate and the number continues to rise among students aged 5 to 11. TDSB will now begin to plan for a transition toward the return of unvaccinated staff at work.
Separation Guide
The county has updated their household separation measures to indicate that in some cases, it may no longer be necessary to isolate household members if there is a positive case of COVID-19 in their home, depending on their status. vaccination.
Verification Screening
The daily self-examination for COVID-19, which includes an understanding of federal travel guidelines, must continue to be done before leaving for work or school, but, beginning March 21 , 2022, students and staff will no longer have to present proof of verification of their daily screening in the ServiceNow app. Visitors will be allowed in the school buildings and will also be required to take a self-assessment for COVID-19.
Reviews and Updates for COVID-19
The county will continue to provide Rapid Antigen Test kits to school boards every two weeks to support symptomatic testing for students and staff. Positive case notification letters to the affected classrooms will continue until the end of March and will be reviewed again at that time.
Cohorting and Physical Distancing
There will be no need for cohorting and distancing in schools. Assigned seats and cohorting will no longer be required for student transportation. Elementary students can play and learn together in groups, classes and grades, inside and out and during lunch and recess. The shared space can be fully utilized without distancing and programs can return to varying degrees, such as reading friends. Limits on personal gatherings and gatherings will also be removed and schools can plan and host personal events.
In addition, extra-curricular activities may continue as normal pending the availability of staff volunteers to lead the activity and music programs, including voice and wind instruments may continue.
Distance Learning
While these changes may be welcome for some, some students and families may find this transition difficult. TDSB will consider accepting requests for short-term remote learning within the current teaching capacity of virtual learning, and in accordance with provincial guidance. Distance learning resources are available to students and families to support this transition.
It is important to note that, at their Special Board Meeting on Thursday, March 10, the TDSB Trustees voted to write a letter to the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Minister of Education, and Public Health of Toronto of Ontario to request, in addition to other things, that the TDSB allow more time to eliminate the COVID-19 measures in schools. Request a response before Wednesday, March 16. If that request is approved, the changes and timeline mentioned above may change. If that happens, we will share an update with the TDSB Community soon.
TDSB, in partnership with Toronto Public Health and the Ministry of Education will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation. Thank you for your continued work to keep our TDSB community safe and healthy.
If you have any questions, please contact your school.
Thanks.