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Students In Simcoe-Muskoka Return To In-Class Learning On Monday

Laura Hampshire
Feb 3, 2021 | 6:34 PM
Last Updated: Feb 3, 2021 | 7:19 PM

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Students In Simcoe-Muskoka Return To In-Class Learning On Monday


Students in Simcoe County and Muskoka will return to in-person learning on Monday.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced today that the decision was based on the advice of the province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams.

Before and after school programs will also resume Monday, while the emergency child care service for essential workers will end as of Friday.

All Ontario elementary and secondary school students began January with online learning as part of a provincial lockdown.

As part of today’s announcement, 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

Elementary and secondary schools in the following PHUs will return to in-person learning on Tuesday, February 16, 2021:

  • Peel Public Health
  • Toronto Public Health
  • York Region Public Health

“Following the best medical advice, with the clear support of both Ontario’s and the local Medical Officers of Health, we are reopening schools across the province knowing that we have taken additional steps and made additional investments to better protect our students and staff,” said Minister Lecce. “Nothing is more important than returning kids to school safely because it is crucial for their development, mental health, and future success.”

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.

“Reducing the transmission of COVID-19 is fundamental to keeping our communities and schools safe,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “Our collective efforts, like strictly adhering to all public health measures, in addition to the enhanced safety measures in schools, will help keep communities healthy and students learning alongside their peers in their classrooms.”

PHUs continue to reserve the authority to close schools to in-person learning based on local circumstances.

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