Students at Hamilton school return to remote learning after COVID-19 outbreak declared
Published February 18, 2021 at 2:05 pm
Students at a Hamilton Catholic elementary school will be returning to online learning for the next couple of weeks after an outbreak of COVID-19 was declared at their school.
Less than two weeks after the return to in-person learning, the chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, Patrick Daly, announced that St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Elementary School on the West Mountain would be closing as of Friday (Feb. 19).
“Further to yesterday’s outbreak declaration for St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Elementary, please be advised that the decision has been made to close St. Teresa of Avila School CES for the duration of the outbreak period and to move students to virtual learning,” a notice to parents and students said.
“The decision to close was made in consultation with Hamilton Public Health Services (HPHS) out of our priority concern for the health and safety of our students and staff, and our ability to sufficiently staff school with so many staff currently in quarantine.”
According to Hamilton Public Health Services (PHS) data, four staff members and one student have tested positive for the virus so far.
The school is expected to reopen on March 1. In the meantime, the board said it is working with PHS to set up targeted testing clinics at the school in the coming days.
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This is the second outbreak declared at a Hamilton school in the last 24 hours.
A.M. Cunningham Elementary School remains open to in-person learning after two students tested positive for the virus this week and an outbreak declared at the school on Wednesday.
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