Coronavirus: 3 faculty and staff members test positive at schools in Montreal’s east end

Three teachers and staff members at three different schools in Montreal’s east end have tested positive for COVID-19, and eight more have been forced to self-isolate.

The schools impacted are all part of the Centre des services scolaires de la Pointe-de-l’Ile (CSSPI), which operates French-language public schools on the eastern third of the Island of Montreal. The service centre was formerly the Pointe-de-l’Ile school board (CSPI) until earlier this year.

Marie-Josée Nantel, an official for the Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE), the union representing teachers at the schools, confirmed the situation in a phone call with Global News early Thursday.

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One teacher at École François La-Bernarde in Pointe-aux-Trembles tested positive for the coronavirus, leading two colleagues there to be placed into self-isolation.

On the other side of the CSSPI’s territory, at École Jules-Verne in Montreal North, another teacher tested positive. Two more teachers there had to self-isolate as a result.

Just across the street from Jules-Verne, at École secondaire Henri-Bourassa, a staff member tested positive. That led to four faculty members having to go into self-isolation.

It comes the day CSSPI schools reopened, and as thousands of students across Quebec have started returning to class. Students return to class at most of Montreal’s other public school boards and service centres on Aug. 31.

In a statement sent to Global News, a CSSPI spokesperson said the service centre is aware of the situation and had notified parents at the three schools. “We also told them that the people had not been in contact with any students and had been immediately placed into confinement,” Valérie Biron added.

“The Director of Public Health has confirmed to us that the re-entry of students can be done safely in our schools,” she said.