B.C. Interior elementary school reopens after COVID-19 closure

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life in communities big and small. Nowhere was that more evident than at Sorrento Elementary School, located in an unincorporated community on the south shore of Shuswap Lake in B.C.’s Southern Interior.

The school was forced to temporarily close its doors for a week from Oct. 12-15, after several people connected to the school fell ill with COVID-19.

“Recently, there have been some cases of COVID-19 among the school community, and as such there are a number of school community members that require self-isolation for 10 days,” the school posted to its website in an Oct. 11 update.

“In order to support the Sorrento Elementary School staff and students who are currently self-isolating, School District No. 83 has decided to close the school for one week due to staffing constraints.”

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More than 230 students, in addition to staff members, were affected by the closure, as classes moved to remote learning.

The decision to close was made in consultation with Interior Health, Superintendent Donna Kriger told Global News. She would not say how many positive cases of COVID-19 were connected to the school.

Kriger told the North Okanagan-Shuswap board of education on Oct. 19 that the district fielded several questions about the positive COVID-19 cases from concerned parents.

“I certainly heard from parents firsthand, regarding their concerns around student and staff safety. I want to thank them for the diplomacy and respect they demonstrated during a difficult time,” Kriger said.

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Kriger said tensions in the school community are heightened amid changing provincial mask and vaccination mandates.

Principal Jodi Garries said students and staff were excited to return to in-person learning this week.

“Teachers and our support staff are looking forward to doing what they do best — helping students progress academically and socially, and school is the best place for nurturing that,” she said.

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As of Oct. 21, there are 55 COVID-19 school exposures across the Interior Health region. Public exposures are listed on the health authority’s website.

During Tuesday’s press briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed that COVID-19 transmission in schools has dropped since an initial surge at the start of the school year.

While she didn’t break it down by city, Henry said there were 80 clusters within Interior Health where COVID-19 transmission may have occurred in the school setting during the first five weeks of the school year.

— with files from Kathy Michaels