Students in Simcoe County and Muskoka are returning to in-class learning today, for the first time since the Christmas Break.
Before and after school child care programs are also resuming today.
Elementary and secondary schools in the following PHUs will return to in-person learning on Monday, February 8, 2021:
- Brant County Health Unit
- Chatham-Kent Public Health
- Durham Region Health Department
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
- Halton Region Public Health
- City of Hamilton Public Health Services
- Huron Perth Public Health
- Lambton Public Health
- Niagara Region Public Health
- Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
To support the safe return of in-person learning, Ontario has introduced new measures to continue to protect students and staff against COVID-19 in the classroom.
These measures include:
- Provincewide access, in consultation with the local PHU, to targeted asymptomatic testing for students and staff;
- Mandatory masking requirement for students in Grades 1-3, and masking requirement for Grades 1-12 outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained;
- Providing 3.5 million high quality cloth masks to schools as back-up supply for Grade 1-12 students;
- Enhanced screening for secondary students and staff;
- Guidance discouraging students from congregating before and after school; and,
- Temporary certification of eligible teacher candidates who are set to graduate in 2021 to stabilize staffing levels, following high levels of absenteeism.
To further promote health and safety for students and staff, Ontario recently made an additional $381 million in funding available for schools. Provided under the federal Safe Return to Class Fund, this funding will be used to improve air quality and ventilation in schools, support online learning, promote student mental health and hire additional staff. In total, Ontario has provided schools with more than $1.6 billion to protect against COVID-19.
For more details, please click here.
Meanwhile, today is the last day to apply for the Support for Learners Program.
Families can receive:
$200/child up to grade 12
$250/child or youth ages 0-21 with special needs
Only three days left to apply for Support for Learners! Applications close on February 8.
Families can receive:
$200/child up to grade 12
$250/child or youth ages 0-21 with special needshttps://t.co/OS7UCd225D pic.twitter.com/2YW84GmGte— Education Ontario (@ONeducation) February 5, 2021
Ontario will resume in-person learning for elementary and secondary schools in all remaining public health units on Feb. 8, except Toronto, Peel and York Region, which will resume Feb. 16.
Learn about new measures in place to protect staff and students: https://t.co/1vKXvjGUK7 pic.twitter.com/LpYRm0CPy9
— Education Ontario (@ONeducation) February 3, 2021