As of today, the province will start reporting overall absences at Ontario schools.
However, also as of Monday, associate medical officer of health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit Dr. Colin Lee said there are not yet any schools in Simcoe County that have come close to meeting criteria for a closure from a public-health perspective.
“Schools may themselves have to close because of operational considerations due to staff absenteeism and other considerations that may make it not possible to keep schools open,” he said.
Currently, Lee says the health unit does not investigate students or staff who may be infected with COVID as per provincial guidance. However, he noted that the ministry is tracking overall absences, and will report to the health unit if absence rates exceed 30 per cent above baseline.
“In these instances, we will work with school boards to assess further the reason for absenteeism and may take further steps, if warranted,” said Lee.
As of Jan. 24, absences of students and staff were reported by the province at the following Orillia schools on Jan. 21:
- Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir – ÉÉC Samuel de Champlain – 21%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Couchiching Heights PS – 24.9%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Harriett Todd PS – 31%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Lions Oval PS – 28.7%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Orchard Park PS – 24.7%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Orillia Secondary School –21.8%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Regent Park PS –32.8%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Severn Shores PS –25.8%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Twin Lakes Secondary School –16%
- Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – Monsignor Lee –16%
- Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – Notre Dame – 11.7%
- Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – Patrick Fogarty Secondary School – 13.6%
- Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – St. Bernard's – 10.4%
The percentage refers to a combined percentage of students and staff who are reported as absent.
The province moved schools to remote learning at the end of the winter break as Omicron cases surged to unprecedented levels and overwhelmed the testing system. When schools reopened on Jan. 17, the province no longer required them to share information about COVID-19 cases.
Parents will be notified when absenteeism among staff and students reaches 30 per cent, regardless of whether those absences are connected to the virus, and as of Jan. 24, information about overall absences will be posted online.
According to the province, data will be updated daily about the previous school day.
Lee says the health unit does not have any specific criteria at this point on when they might advise a school to close.
“If we assess the benefits of in-school learning on the physical, mental and academic health of students, and is outweighed by the risk of COVID transmission in the school, we would look at closing a school, but we do not anticipate this will happen,” he said, clarifying that some local boards overlap with other health units, who may have different criteria.
Pauline Stevenson, manager of communications with the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, says absence rates are reported by the board directly to the province daily.
“If absenteeism rates exceed 30 per cent it would trigger our board connecting with the health unit for them to provide guidance,” she said. “The 30 per cent threshold does not signal a school closure, but rather a consultation with public health.”
At the public board, Sarah Kekewich, manager of communications with the Simcoe County District School Board, says the percentage also includes just general absences that are not COVID-19 related.
“We would work with (the health unit) to discuss what the absences are related to,” she said. “We’re all required to do the same reporting process.”
Provincial daily reporting of absences will be posted here, and are searchable by school, board and location.
