Ontario’s Minister of Education is putting aside the idea of an extended winter school break for now.
In a statement Stephen Lecce says after consultations with Ontario’s chief medical officer of health and others, “an extended winter holiday is not necessary at this time.”
This comes just one day after signalling he was considering an extended winter break for students to allow students and staff to self-isolate after any potential holiday celebrations.
“As we continue to see increased rates of community transmission, our schools have been remarkably successful at minimizing outbreaks to ensure that our kids stay safe and learning in their classrooms,” said the statement.
My statement below following expert advice from the CMOH on the strength of Ontario’s plan to keep students safe. pic.twitter.com/0U8l4sl69Y
— Stephen Lecce (@Sflecce) November 18, 2020
The province says it will monitor trends and numbers and will consider any option to deliver on its priority to keep schools open in January and beyond.