Teacher with Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Board Questions COVID Regulations

Pete Fisher
3 years ago
• Categories: Editor Choice, Local

Today’s Northumberland received several questions from a teacher with the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Board.
The teacher asked to remain anonymous, but has concerns about the way the Board is implementing COVID regulations to students – particularly in junior and intermediate classrooms.
PVNCSB Communications Manager, Galen Eagle replied to the questions which are below:

the majority of junior/intermediate classrooms have 28 or more kids, making physical distancing impossible
The Ministry of Education sets class size caps and averages. Our board is in compliance with those guidelines (see below). Where possible, classrooms are set up to create as much room for physical distancing as possible.
Kindergarten: the maximum class size is capped at 29 students per class with one teacher and one Early Childhood Educator for each class;
Grades 1, 2, 3: no class can be above 23; 90% of classes in these grades must be 20 or below;
Grades 4, 5, 6: there is no maximum class size, and the system average must be 24.5 across all junior and intermediate classes;
Grades 7, 8: there is no maximum class size, and the system average must be 24.5 across all junior and intermediate classes;

we are not allowed to discuss the vaccine or anything related
This is a misleading statement. Of course staff can discuss vaccines. Our school board has been encouraging all eligible students and staff to get vaccinated since the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations began and we have hosted multiple vaccine clinics in our schools in each region since the beginning of the school year. We will be working closely with the three heath units in our jurisdiction to promote and encourage vaccination of 5- to 11-year-olds when those vaccines are approved.
So yes, staff are allowed to discuss vaccinations, however, staff should not be unduly pressuring students to get the vaccine if a student has made the personal choice not to receive one.

we are not allowed to give consequences to students who don’t comply with mask rules (for students who should be wearing them, not including those with exemptions)
Again, this is misleading. Students who do not follow directions from the teacher or principal face disciplinary actions as they would with any other issue. All staff in schools are diligent to remind students to comply with masking expectations and this is an ongoing effort. It won’t be news to your readers that students don’t always listen to their teachers. Masking compliance has been an ongoing challenge for all school staff since the onset of the pandemic, but overall, the majority of students are complying without issue.

all teachers share one staff room regardless of cohort, and French and music teachers go from class to class, which doesn’t get considered when a class is sent home for exposure
As per the Ministry of Education’s Return to School Guidance, staff must maintain at least two metres distance when consuming food/drinks and Specialized education staff and teachers, such as French teachers, education support staff, (for example, education assistants), music teachers, are permitted to go into classrooms and to attend multiple schools to provide the full breadth of programming for students.

78 unvaccinated employees were reprimanded Wednesday for failing to comply with regular rapid testing
Currently, 86% of the Board’s 2,318 employees have provided the board proof of full vaccination. There is another portion of employees who are currently en route to becoming fully vaccinated.
All employees who are not fully vaccinated must undertake twice weekly rapid antigen testing before arriving at a work facility. Failure to comply will result in a sliding scale of disciplinary measures from reprimand to unpaid leave to possible termination of employment.

teachers don’t have to disclose their status to other coworkers, even for safety
Employees have no obligation to share personal health information with coworkers.

there is no protocol for isolation if the teacher of an exposed class is vaccinated (they’re basically pretending that breakthrough cases aren’t a thing
The vaccination status of a student or staff member determines their isolation period should they be deemed a high-risk contact to a confirmed case of COVID-19. Vaccinated individuals are permitted to return to class/school once their vaccination status has been verified.

kids daily screenings are not being enforced
All staff and students must self-screen every day before attending school. As mandated by the Ministry of Education, there will be periods of the year, such as the first two week of September, where boards will be asked to validate student screening. In between those time periods, screening is undertaken on the honour system.
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