The public school board is reporting that it has the necessary equipment to keep students, staff and teachers as safe as possible in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.
“Algoma District School Board has received all shipments of non-fitted N95 masks from the Ministry (of Education). These have been distributed to our schools for staff to have prior to the anticipated return to in-person learning on Jan. 17 and for our staff who are working in the special education classes that are operating,” said Lucia Reece, ADSB director of education in an email Friday.
Ontario school boards have been promised by the provincial government that educators will be provided with N95 masks and schools fitted with high efficiency particulate air filters (more commonly known as HEPA filters) to cut down on the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
“Over the past several years, Algoma District School Board has purchased and installed HEPA filters so that high-priority areas, such as special-needs classrooms, kindergarten classrooms, and music rooms, already have them in place. ADSB is expecting an additional shipment of 28 more HEPA filters to add to our complement,” Reece said.
“Across ADSB, personal protective equipment, including both medical masks (surgical/procedural) and eye protection (for example, face shield or goggles), has been and continues to be required and available for education staff, including Educational Assistants, particularly those working in close contact with students. ADSB continues to provide required PPE to our staff, including medical masks, eye protection and other PPE based on their specific role/job functions (for example, gloves, gowns),” Reece said.
As reported earlier, the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board (H-SCDSB) says its schools have HEPA filters in place with extra units available if needed.
The Huron-Superior board says it also has received its supply of N95 masks, each of its schools to receive its share of those items.
Now it’s a case of wait and see as to when students return to classrooms in the Sault and area and across the province.
The Ontario government announced Jan. 3 that students would not return to classrooms after the Christmas break as scheduled Jan. 5 due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant.
Students are currently learning remotely, not allowed to return to in class learning until Jan. 17 at the earliest.