By Pepper Parr
September 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The report that two students were found to be infected was incorrect. Two people were found to be infected – they were not in classroom at the time – they had yet to start school.
Parents walks her son up to the entrance at Charles Best
It was not an auspicious start.
First day back at school and the Halton District School Board reports a student at Brant Hills with a COVID infection.
In a brief statement on the Board’s COVID-19 Advisory Committee page they report that a positive test was recorded at the Brant public school in Burlington and the Garth Webb Secondary School in Oakville.
The COVID-19 Advisory Committee provides the number of positive COVID-19 cases that are connected to schools. For all confirmed cases, families and staff at the school will be notified by letter. Halton Region Public Health will contact any close contacts directly.
The web site page does point out that: “ A positive case at a school does not mean the individual was exposed to COVID-19 at the school.
They may have been exposed somewhere else in the community. The identity of the individual is protected by privacy legislation and will not be shared.
Neither school will be closing nor will any classrooms/cohorts be closed.
This morning students at Charles Best Public School arrived by car, by bus and some walked.
Students get off school bus and head for their classrooms – all wearing masks.
The start of the day was orderly with every student sanitized and let into the school.
Security was tight with principal Paul Thomson walking the perimeter of the school property in a safety vest and a walky-talky on his hip.
School buses arrived, students hopped out while small groups of parents, not wearing masks, chatted with each other.
It was a nice fall day and while things were a little edgy – the day got off to a good start.
Children on the right are keeping their social distance from people walking along the pathway.
Lead by example – if parents want to make children feel less anxious perhaps they should be wearing masks as they take their children to school.
These parents will probably be the first to create issues if their child should contract the virus. Who will they blame – the school, other parents, certainly not themselves?