To support the safe reopening of schools for the 2020-2021 school year, we are asking each board to identify a COVID-19 contact person. The purpose of this is to facilitate ongoing and timely communications with school boards in order to track cases and monitor the potential impact of COVID-19 across schools in Ontario.
As referenced in the Guide to Reopening Ontario’s Schools, school boards must report on a daily basis any probable or confirmed cases of COVID-19 within a school to the Ministry of Education via an online tool. The expectation is that the reporting will be completed by the school Principal or their designate (i.e., Vice-Principal, Administrative Assistant, etc.). Details about the COVID-19 school absence online reporting process will be forthcoming shortly.
It is important to note that the information collected will not be for the purpose of contact tracing. No personal information will be collected by the Ministry of Education. Any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the school must be reported to the local public health unit to support case management and contact tracing and other activities in accordance with all applicable legislation, including the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Public health officials will determine any additional steps required, including but not limited to the declaration of an outbreak and closure of classes and/or schools.
For the purpose of COVID-19, your main point of contact will be the Regional Office of the Ministry of Education’s Field Services Branch. As we shared with you recently on a Director of Education teleconference, the Ministry of Education Regional Offices have been re-aligned with Ontario Health boundaries to support COVID-19 outbreak monitoring. Please send your board’s COVID-19 contact to your Regional Manager as indicated in the attachment by September 2, 2020. Regional offices will be liaising with school boards daily to follow-up on the monitoring and managing of COVID-19 in schools.
Thank you for your support and commitment to learning as we prepare for the safe reopening schools in Ontario.
Nancy Naylor
Deputy Minister
Attachments
COVID-19 School Board Contacts by Region
c: Executive Director, Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’ontario (ACÉPO)
Executive Director, Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)
Executive Director, Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)
Executive Director, Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)
Executive Director, Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)
Executive Director and Secretary-Treasurer, Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO)
General Secretary, Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA)
General Secretary, Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO)
General Secretary, Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF)
Chair, Ontario Council of Educational Workers (OCEW)
Chair, Education Workers’ Alliance of Ontario (EWAO)
Co-ordinator, Canadian Union of Public Employees – Ontario (CUPE-ON)
