COVID-19, Education

Greater Essex County District School Board’s COVID-19 Guidance FAQs

This direction will be re-evaluated regularly and, where required, updated based on public health advice throughout the 2021-2022 school year.

Will staff and students need to provide proof of vaccination when they return to school?  

The Ministry of Education has indicated that vaccinations will not be mandated for staff or students, but they are strongly recommended for all eligible individuals.

What work is being done to HVAC/ventilation systems in GECDSB schools? 

The Board will ensure that ventilation strategies to be implemented will be in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s Health, Safety and Operational Guidance for Schools (2021-22).

Will extracurricular activities be available, and will remote students have the option of participating?

The GECDSB is working to ensure that approved extracurricular activities are safe for students to participate. We will provide more details about this as we receive information from the Windsor Essex County Health Unit.

Students who are registered for remote learning will be able to participate in activities run by the virtual school. If students are registered for remote learning then they will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities at their home school.

What is the process for contact-tracing in schools in September 2021?   

The GECDSB will receive guidance from the Windsor Essex County Health Unit to determine what will be required.  This information will be shared prior to returning to school.

Will secondary students and staff have to complete the COVID-19 self-assessment tool every day?  

All staff and students must self-screen every day before attending school. The GECDSB will receive guidance from the Windsor Essex County Health Unit and the Ministry of Education to determine self-screening processes for elementary and secondary students as well as staff. This information will be shared prior to returning to school.

Will common areas such as libraries and cafeterias be open?  

In consultation with the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, the GECDSB is updating all COVID Safety Plans to determine how/if certain areas will be used. If you would like to know more about the guidelines from the Ministry of Education, please see the COVID-19 Health, Safety and Operational Guidance for Schools (2021/2022) V2: https://bit.ly/3fZUNGe

Do I need to re-apply for student transportation if my child was in virtual last year?  

Yes. Families who had children registered in virtual school last year will need to re-apply for transportation through their school during the last two weeks of August.

What are the rules for masking from Kindergarten to grade 12?  

Students in Grades 1 to 12 are required to wear properly fitted non-medical or cloth masks indoors in school, including in hallways and during classes, as well as on school vehicles.

Masking requirements for Kindergarten students utilizing student transportation can be found at https://buskids.ca/.  Please continue to check this website often for updates.

Why can’t we switch to remote learning in Term/Semester 2?  

Our goal is to transition all students back to in-person learning as soon as possible.

The GECDSB is currently working to review the new Ministry guidelines with the WECHU and our Health and Safety experts to create school-specific safety plans over the next few weeks. These will be shared with all families prior to the start of school.

If families have specific questions they can contact the Board office at 519-255-3200 or email us at opt-outform@publicboard.ca.

To read the original article on our website click here.

Photo by Mike Gosselin

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*