The supervisor of Hamilton’s public school board says he’s pleased at how staff are handling a return to school amid a pandemic and 25 unresolved COVID-19 cases in city schools.
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) director Manny Figueiredo says rules to limit the spread of the coronavirus set out by the province for the first semester did worry him, since schools are essentially a social setting for kids and adults.
“I was worried about these new safety measures, the protocols: masking, the hand sanitizing, the physical distancing, Figueiredo said. “But the students have adapted.”
Contact tracing, having class lists and investigations after positive tests have become a critical part of school life, according to Figueiredo, considering HWDSB schools have over 40,000 attending in-person classes.
“I’m pleased with how staff has stepped up,” Figueiredo told Global News. “In August, when we got the direction, it was challenging. It’s a new paradigm.”
University of Toronto infectious disease professor Dr. Andrew Morris says a cautious perspective will be critical for schools over the next few months since it’s likely cold and flu season will cross over with the pandemic, making it hard to determine which a young one has come down with.
“What’s probably the prudent thing to do is treat it as if it’s COVID, especially if you can’t get testing,” said Morris, “And isolate the child from classes until at least symptoms resolve.”
Both Hamilton public school boards reported more COVID-19 cases among students and staff on Wednesday.
The HWDSB says Flamborough Centre elementary school now has a COVID-19 case after a student tested positive for the virus. The board said the pupil was last in the building on Oct. 9.
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Tiffany Hills Elementary School also has recorded a case with a student who was also last in the school on Oct. 9 and the System Alternative Education – Rebecca Street location says a staff member reported a positive test and was last in that school on Oct. 8.
The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) says its latest case is at St. Jean de Brébeuf Catholic Secondary School on the Mountain. The student was last in school on Oct. 8.
Guardians of HWDSB students will have another opportunity to remove their children from school in early November should they want full remote learning. The HWDSB currently has about 9,000 students taking full remote classes.
Should more parents opt for full-time online learning, Figueiredo says it will be a “big undertaking” requiring staff to be redeployed.
“We’ve been doing planning behind the scenes with our virtual platforms and classrooms. So we have to be ready for that,” Figueiredo said.
Cases in Hamilton-area schools and daycares
Hamilton schools now have a combined 25 unresolved cases as of Oct. 14 at:
Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) – 13 cases
- Bennetto Elementary School: three cases
- Flamborough Centre Elementary School: one case
- Frank Panabaker Elementary School (North Campus): one case
- Huntington Park Elementary School: one case
- R. L. Hyslop Elementary School: one case
- Shannen Koostachin Elementary School: two cases
- Sherwood Secondary School: two cases
- System Alternative Education – Rebecca Street location: one case
- Tiffany Hills Elementary School: one case
Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) – 12 cases
- Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School: one case
- Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School: one case
- Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School: one case
- Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School: one case
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Elementary School: two cases
- St. David Catholic Elementary School: one case
- St. Jean de Brébeuf Catholic Secondary School: one case
- St. John the Baptist Catholic Elementary School: one case
- St. Mary Catholic Secondary School: two cases
- St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Elementary School: one case
Hamilton has two active cases in child-care centres at:
- R. L. Hyslop: one case
- St. David Early Learning and Care Centre: one case
Cases in Hamilton-area post-secondary schools
McMaster University has reported five on-campus COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, while Mohawk College has reported just one — a confirmed case from Sept. 25 at the Stoney Creek campus.
Cases in Halton-area schools and daycares
Public Health Ontario says Halton public schools have reported a combined 37 unresolved cases as of Oct. 14 at the following locations:
Burlington – six
- Burlington Central Elementary (Grades 7 and 8): one case
- Frontenac Public School: one case
- Nelson Secondary School: three cases
- Sir E. MacMillan Public School: one case
Oakville – 13
- Abbey Park High School: one case
- Captain R. Wilson Public School: one case
- École secondaire catholique Sainte-Trinité: one case
- Emily Carr Public School: two cases
- Forest Trail Public School: one case
- Garth Webb Secondary School: one case
- Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School: one case
- Pine Grove Public School: one case
- St. Paul Catholic Elementary: one case
- West Oak Public School: three cases
Milton – eight
- Craig Kielburger Secondary School: one case
- École élémentaire Catholique Sainte-Anne: two cases
- Escarpment View Public School: one case
- Le Conseil scolaire Catholique MonAvenir: two cases
- Tiger Jeet Singh Public School: one probable case
- W. I. Dick Middle School: one case
Halton Hills – ten
- Acton District High School: one case
- Christ the King Catholic Secondary: one case
- George Kennedy public school (Georgetown): one case
- St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School (Georgetown): five cases
- St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School (Acton): two cases
Halton has five active cases in child-care centres at:
- Kids and Company (Burlington): one case
- Halton Hills Child Care Centre (Georgetown): one case
- George Kennedy YMCA Schoolage Program (Georgetown): one case
- Les Coccinelles (Oakville): one case
- Parkview Children’s Centre (Village School): one case
Cases in Niagara-area schools and daycares
Public Health Ontario says Niagara public schools have reported a combined 13 cases as of Oct. 14 at the following locations:
St. Catharines – six
- Dalewood French Immersion Public School: one case
- Eden High School: one case
- Ferndale Public School: one case
- Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School: one case
- Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School: one case
- William Hamilton Merritt Elementary School: one case
Welland – four
- Eastdale Secondary School: three cases
- l’École Élementaire Catholique Sacré-Cœur: one case
Niagara Falls – one
- Valley Way Public School: one case
Grimsby – two
- Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School: one case
- Park Public School: one case
The region has not reported any active cases in child-care centres.
Cases in Brant County schools and daycares
Public Health Ontario says Brant County public schools have reported a combined five active coronavirus cases as of Oct. 14 at:
Brant County – two
- Cobblestone Elementary School Brant: two cases
Brantford – three
- Assumption (Catholic) College School: one case
- St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School: one case
- St. John’s College: one case
Brant has no active cases in child-care centres.
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