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February 25, 2021

To: COVID-19 Leads – LPS, TBCDSB, CSDC Aurores Boreales, (Ecole Franco-Superieur and Ecole Secondaire Catholique De La Verendrye), Thunder Bay Christian School, Lac des Milles Lac Education Centre

Due to the high number of COVID-19 cases presenting in school communities, along with the risk of variants of concern, I strongly recommend moving to virtual learning for a period of two weeks for all schools in the City of Thunder Bay and surrounding communities.

A letter of instruction will be sent shortly outlining further details. We appreciate your dedication to ensuring that the students and staff within your schools are kept safe and healthy.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Janet DeMille, MPH, FRCPC
Medical Officer of Health
Thunder Bay District Health Unit

 

February 26, 2021

To: Directors of Education for Schools Boards operating within the City of Thunder Bay and Surrounding Areas:

RE: Instructions from the Medical Officer of Health on in-person learning

I am writing to you as the persons responsible for schools in the City of Thunder Bay and in surrounding communities.

I want to begin by expressing my appreciation for the significant amount of work you and your staff and staff in all the schools have done to keep schools safe for students, teachers and all education staff during this pandemic. These are difficult times. Those measures have no doubt protected schools and permitted the opportunity for in-person learning that is so important for students, families and our society as a whole.

Unfortunately, in recent weeks, we have seen an increase in COVID-19 case numbers in our area, which, as you know, has significantly impacted many of your schools and has resulted in several outbreak declarations. Stronger measures are needed to manage and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our area.

As such, under Ontario Regulation 82/20 Section 2(2) (or as current), and Ontario Regulation 263/20 Section 2(2) (or as current) of the Reopening Ontario Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c.17, as Medical Officer of Health, I am issuing the following instructions to you, effective Monday, March 1 at 12:01 AM:

• Suspend the provision of all in-person student learning and before and after school programs for all schools in the City of Thunder Bay and in communities around Thunder Bay including Oliver Paipoonge, Neebing, Gillies, Shuniah, Comnee, O’Connor, and any school in the nearby unorganized territories
• This current suspension extends until March 15, 2021. The need for further extension will be considered closer to that time.

These instructions should not be interpreted to mean that the schools themselves should be closed. Educators and staff can attend school for the purposes of conducting virtual teaching and other activities as needed to support this and for managing school facilities, etc. In addition, in-person instruction to students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated through remote learning and who wish to attend in-person instruction may continue. These instructions also do not apply to daycares.

For greater clarity, a listing of schools these instructions apply to is attached.

TBDHU is committed to supporting students, families and the school community through these challenging times. We look forward to continuing to work with our school partners. Thank you for your ongoing work during the pandemic response.

Sincerely,

Dr. Janet DeMille, CCFP, FRCPC

Medical Officer of Health

Thunder Bay District Health Unit

As of February 26, 2021, Lakehead Public Schools:

Algonquin School

C.D. Howe

Claude E. Garton

Crestview

École Gron Morgan

Five Mile

Gorham and Ware Community

Kakabeka Falls

Kingsway Park

McKellar Park

McKenzie

Nor’Wester View

Ogden Community

St. James

Sherbrooke

Valley Central

Vance Chapman

Westmount

Whitefish Valley

Woodcrest

Hammarskjold High School

Superior C&V.I.

Westgate C&V.I.

Lakehead Adult Education Centre