An executive report presented to the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) suggests the re-opening of elementary schools for the 2020-21 school year — based on guidelines from SickKids — would exceed the province’s proposed investments by tens of millions of dollars.
In a special meeting on Monday night, the board learned that about 900 additional classroom teachers would need to be hired to meet the 15 students per class recommendation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That equates about $76 million in costs.
So far, the report says the ministry of education has only earmarked funding of about $1.2 million to the board for additional caretakers expected to clean and disinfect classrooms.
Director of Education Manny Figuerido told Global News that the cost is based on the number of elementary students who attended class in 2019-20 that will be returning with none choosing the online learning option.
“What would be the implications for us in our school board? You saw in the report, we said we would need potentially around 900 additional classroom teachers and that would approximately cost us around $76 million, which we don’t have.” said Figuerido.
HWDSB trustees have requested that Figuerido connect with the ministry to pursue a provision of full funding to mitigate costs for lower elementary class sizes.
Monday’s board meeting outlined a revised reopening plan for elementary schools (Kindergarten to Grade 8) with the staff report outlining a “conventional” return including in-person teaching and instruction, five days a week.
Excluding the additional teachers and caretakers, the report estimates that $2.1 million will be needed to accommodate new costs during the 2020-21 school year, which is expected to cover mental health supports, special education needs, and enhanced cleaning supplies.
Specifics in the adjusted plans, with advice from Hamilton Public Health, call for “enhanced” safety measures using the caretakers, removing the staff’s personal belongings, re-purposing gymnasiums as classroom space, requiring masks for Grades 4 and up, hand hygiene breaks, cohorting students, and daily screenings.
Figuerido says the ‘new routines’ will be ‘complex and even cold-hearted’ but necessary to prevent any kind of contracting and potential transmission of the coronavirus.
“I think what we need to be prepared for is that we have to train all our staff around these protocols,” Figuerido said, “We’re going to have to spend some time on those PA (professional activity) days, the three before, on a lot of time training on the new norms.”
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The plan for elementary schools also involves assigned classrooms which will keep students in the same space for an entire school day with teachers moving from room to room, if necessary.
School bus runs are expected to be operating with regular seating capacity for students with PPE for drivers and cleaning in between trips. However, funding for the changes has yet to be determined by the province.
The board has also eliminated community rentals at night as an added safety precaution.
“I know it’s not a popular thing with our community partners because we’re trying to limit the number of people inside the building and we want to make sure that our resources, like our caretakers, are available and might work slightly adjusted shifts,” said Figuerido.
Starting this week, the board will begin its next steps for the fall school year by reaching out to guardians educating them on remote learning options, mandatory student screenings, and transportation plans.
Figuerido says a decision by guardians on a learning method and the completion of self-screening for each student will be critical pieces the school board will need over the next seven days.
“That attestation is critical before staff and students can return into the building.” Figuerido said.
The Hamilton-Wentworth District Catholic School Board has not yet released its plan for the fall. Early in July, the board said in a release, the timeline would be revealed in late summer.
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