Parents worried about post-holiday school sequel due to COVID-19

Some parents say they're worried their children won't return to the classroom after the holidays — which is what happened after last year's holiday season — due to rising COVID-19 case counts and messaging from schools.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) have informed families that children should bring all belongings and learning materials with them once the holiday break begins.

In an email to parents, OCDSB staff said the purpose of this is to "help with the cleaning of schools over the break" and to ensure anyone needing to self-isolate once the break is over can still participate in classes.

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Director of Education Camille Williams-Taylor told CBC this move also helps students and teachers prepare for the possibility of remote learning to reduce any interruptions to students' education.

"We recognize over these past two years, if we've learned nothing, is to anticipate the unanticipated," she said.

The province hasn't announced any plan to close schools yet, but Williams-Taylor said there are contingency plans in place should that change.

"It's my hope that we keep schools open as long as we can," Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore told reporters Tuesday.

Moore has said it's expected cases will continue to rise over the holiday season and the Omicron variant will soon become the dominant strain, which "may change our approach."

Parents 'not feeling great'

Robyn Bragg admits she is "filled with despair" and doesn't trust the messaging from the Ontario government.

Bragg, whose child attends an English public school in Ottawa, says she is reminded of the messaging this time last year when the province promised to keep schools open, only to change course after a surge in cases over the holiday break.

"It feels like it's really taken a toll. So both for my husband and I, we're not feeling great about it," said Bragg.

Pearly Pouponneau also says she's preparing for the return of remote learning, which "sounds all too familiar."

"It almost seems like before any long break or long weekend, we're told that you should take everything out of your child's locker or cubby just in case," said Pouponneau.

Her child often responds to this messaging with a feeling school is over for good, she said, "when it should just be a little bit of a break for them."

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Anne Gannon has two children in the Ottawa Catholic School Board, which has not yet instructed students to take home their belongings.

Gannon said she would support schools closing for the rest of the week before the holiday break to help curb the surge in cases, but she would prefer children didn't have to make another sacrifice during the pandemic.

"My eldest would be perfectly happy. However, my youngest thrives on being with other people," she said. "I think if there was the potential for another lockdown, it would be hard for him."