Spring Break school trips scuttled over coronavirus concerns

Dozens of area high school students will have unexpected time on their hands this March Break after much-anticipated school trips to Europe were cancelled by school officials.

Citing concerns about the COVID-19 infection, Algoma District School Board (ADSB) has advised students and their families that the trips will not happen.

"We are not alone in our decision to do this," ADSB Chair Jennifer Sarlo tells SooToday, pointing to similar cancellations across the province.

Sarlo says the ADSB decision was made by senior administrators Wednesday after consultations with her.

"I’m regretful in informing you that I will not be able to travel to Europe," Marek McLeod, Superior Heights student and ADSB Indigenous student trustee, posted on social media Wednesday night after being informed of the decision.

"Due to a moratorium on all non-ADSB zones travel, the trip had to be cancelled due to the safety of my fellow students and ADSB faculty," McLeod wrote. "I know I’ll get to go one day, and I’ll be sure to share with all of you."

"The timing sucks, but it’s better than bringing the virus back home," he told SooToday on Thursday.

McLeod said the travel moratorium was issued by ADSB's director of education and applies to all school trips outside Algoma District.

"It was a Europe trip to Germany, Czech Republic, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. We had roughly 40 kids and it was going to be during the March Break from 16 to 25."

"It was for all high school grades (9 to12) and was open to all high schools in the ADSB. I believe we had kids from Superior Heights, CASS, Korah and White Pines," McLeod told us.

Another school trip, this one to Italy and Greece, has been cancelled for ADSB students in Hornepayne and Chapleau.

Will any students be out-of-pocket for their plane fares and other travel expenses?

"No," McLeod believes. "We were required to purchase insurance on our trip policy so we'll be refunded."

At Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board, communications officer Jim Fitzpatrick says a planned summer school trip to southeast Asia has been cancelled.

"At this point our board has not cancelled any trips that require our students to travel within Ontario," Fitzpatrick tells SooToday.

"With regards to any trips requiring our students to travel out of country, we have cancelled a student trip to Thailand that was originally scheduled to happen in July."

"The trip was connected to a summer school course and part of the course expectations was travelling to certain parts of Thailand as a part of the experimential learning model."

"The board will continue to monitor the situation regarding the COVID-19 virus and will determine future actions in regards to school trips based on advice from various sources including local, provincial and federal health agencies and the Ministry of Education," Fitzpatrick says.

At Conseil Scolaire Catholique Nouvelon Schools, Paul de la Riva, director of communications and external relations, reports that school trips to Italy and Greece by students from École secondaire catholique Franco-Ouest in Espanola and École Notre-Dame-du-Sault in Sault Ste. Marie have been cancelled.