September 27th, 2020

The purpose of this message is to provide you with a timely update related to the COVID-19 screening process for all individuals (students and staff), as well as those household contacts (in most cases siblings who are WRDSB students) who were previously sent home with a family member who was showing symptoms of COVID-19.

 

  1. The screening tool has changed:

    1. All individuals (staff and students) are now asked to complete daily screening using the Ontario Screening Tool (this is a different tool than before)

    2. Please use this tool to assess your child every day before coming to school

    3. Also use this tool to determine next steps in the event that your child is sent home from school due to COVID-19 symptoms

 

  1. The process for household contacts (e.g., the sibling of a child showing symptoms) has been revised:

    1. In the event that your child was sent home as a result of showing COVID-19 symptoms, they must continue to stay home pending their test results (doctor approval or self-isolation for 14 days with improved symptoms in the last 72 hours)

    2. If test results come back negative (and there is no known exposure or recent travel), your child may return after 24 hours of being symptom-free

    3. If test results come back positive, we will continue to follow the direction of Public Health (our governing body); this may result in household contacts being tested

 

    1. If the symptomatic individual has no known exposure or recent travel, household contacts would self-monitor awaiting test results of the symptomatic individual.  Household contacts do not need to be tested unless they also have symptoms.

      1. To be clear, if the household contact (i.e., the sibling) continues to show no symptoms, and after completing the Ontario Screening Tool is not directed to be tested, they may return to school (while they continue to self-monitor)

      2. In other words, if the above criteria is met and the process is followed, these siblings, who would be considered household contacts, would be cleared to return to school tomorrow morning (Monday, September 28)

 

Thank you for your attention to this matter as well as your continued patience. Circumstances and procedures surrounding COVID-19 continue to be ever-changing, and the above clarification has been prompted by changes that have been shared as recently as earlier today.

 

Please give us a call at the school tomorrow morning, if you wish to receive further clarification or have any questions.

 

All the best, 

 

Samantha Hutton-Walker

Jenni-Rebecca Baer