The Thames Valley District School Board announced Tuesday that Kensal Park French Immersion Public School in London, Ont., and John Wise Public School in St. Thomas will be closing to in-person learning as of Wednesday, Feb. 2, due to “operational concerns related to staffing issues.”
Both schools are expected to reopen to in-person learning on Monday, Feb. 7.
The board said classroom teachers will contact families of each school community to coordinate the move to remote learning.
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According to the province’s page on school closures and absence rates, the rate of absences among students and staff at John Wise P.S. was 16.8 per cent while the rate for Kensal Park French Immersion P.S. was 8.6 per cent, both well below the threshold of 30 per cent from a baseline rate that would require schools to report to local public health units.
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However, the board has previously explained that there are cases where the rate of absences among students due to COVID-19 is not very significant, but a closure is required because of the number of staff required to isolate due to illness or close contact with a case.
The closures announced Tuesday are the third and fourth announced by the public board since schools resumed in-person learning in Ontario.
Last week, the TVDSB announced temporary closures at C. C. Carrothers Public School and at Princess Elizabeth Public School.
— with a file from Gabby Rodrigues and Hannah Jackson
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