COVID cases remain low at Kawartha Lakes schools
The Trillium Lakelands District School Board senior staff, led by Superintendent Paul Goldring, are hoping to find a balance between dealing with COVID outbreaks in four schools across the system since October 25 and allowing the system to continue to return to some sense of normalcy sooner than later.
Goldring told trustees at their November 9 committee of the whole meeting that there have been incidents of the illness detected at Monck Public School in Bracebridge, Lady McKenzie Public School in Kirkfield, VK Greer Public School in Huntsville and Parkview Public School in Lindsay.
“Our active cases remain low,” Goldring said.
At Lady McKenzie there was one case limited to one class and one bus with the students isolating until Nov. 12 and returning to school on Nov. 15.
There was also a case discovered at Parkview in Lindsay on Nov. 9 in one classroom with those students isolating and not returning to school until Nov. 16.
“We continue to work with public health…under their guidance, meeting with them bi-monthly and making decisions in consultation with them.”
Goldring told trustees that visitors are still restricted from schools for the foreseeable future, but individuals appropriately masked and practicing social distancing are allowed to attend outdoor sporting activities.
“We are however taking down the plastic barriers in classrooms (that separated the teacher from the students)”, Goldring said. “Classrooms are beginning to take on a more normal look. Class based recycling is starting up again also. At some schools, on a case by case basis, Grade 7 and 8 students will be allowed to leave the property to go for lunch.”
Goldring said the board is awaiting the announcement of the rollout of vaccines for 5-12 year old students and that he expects the health units to ask for evening and weekend space at board properties for vaccination clinics.