Both school boards in Lambton-Kent are preparing for a possible COVID-19 lockdown that could be announced by Premier Doug Ford on Thursday.
The Director of Education of the St. Clair Catholic District School Board sent a letter to parents and guardians on Wednesday to let them know it's possible students will not be returning to school after the Easter long weekend and students should take their belongings home with them on Thursday in case students return to learning from home.
"As we look ahead to the Easter break, at this time there is no indication that we will not be returning to school on Tuesday, April 6. However, we all know too well that during a pandemic it is always prudent to be prepared," said Director Deb Crawford. "Therefore, as a precautionary measure, on Thursday, April 1 all students should bring home with them any and all personal items from school and any learning materials they may need at home, just in case there is a switch to online learning. Again, this is a precautionary measure only. We hope to see everyone back in class following the Easter break."
Crawford said the school will also be sending home technology with any students who require devices for online learning at home. She is asking parents and students to remember to bring the devices back to school if in-person learning resumes normally on Tuesday.
The public school board in Lambton-Kent also issued a letter to parents Wednesday afternoon warning of a possible shift as it braced for the news.
"As we plan for the holiday weekend on April 2-5, Lambton Kent District School Board is anticipating that students will return to in-person learning on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 as scheduled. We have not received any indication from the Ministry of Education that there will be any changes to in-person learning following the long weekend or the Spring Break (April 12-16); however, we feel it is prudent to remain prepared," said a board statement issued late Wednesday afternoon. "As a precautionary measure, schools will be communicating directly with families to remind students to bring home any personal items, such as eyeglasses and medication, and learning materials they may need should there be a transition to remote learning."
The public board also said schools will work with families to determine any student device needs. However, those items must be returned to school with the students on Tuesday should there be a return to in-person learning as expected that day.
Earlier on Wednesday, Director of Education John Howitt urged families and staff to follow pandemic safety protocols over the Easter weekend.
Ford told reporters on Wednesday that he is very concerned about cases rising across the province and some hospital ICUs hitting capacity. He added an announcement about possible new COVID-19 restrictions will be made on Thursday, prompting school boards to get ready for the possibility of remote learning once again.
