Welcome to ETFO Limestone Local
Welcome to ETFO Limestone Local
On March 12, 2020, the Ontario government announced that all elementary and secondary public schools would be closed from March 14 through to April 5, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This action is a preventative measure. In that same announcement, the Minister of Education stated that schools would be receiving additional cleaning supplies for sanitation and hygiene.
When the announcement came, there had been no prior consultation or warning. Ontario was the first jurisdiction in Canada to take this action, and others followed suit. Over the past week, ETFO has been in consultation with various government agencies at the federal and provincial levels to get as much information as possible about this unprecedented situation.
This document addresses some of the questions that we have received based upon what we know at this time. It is important to remember that this is a very quickly changing situation and we will continue to provide updates as information is available.
ETFO members should not go to school for any reason during the closure. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has asked our members, along with all Ontarians, to limit contact with others to flatten the curve of infections.
Members are not required to perform their regular duties during the two-week mandatory closure. Your school administrator may be in touch to request your participation in a virtual staff meeting at some point.
At the end of the mandatory closure, the government will seek advice from the Chief Medical Officer to determine if schools will re-open. The Education Minister confirmed during a media conference on March 20, 2020, that the recommendation to extend the closure would be based solely on safety and well-being.
For those who were travelling outside Canada over March Break, please refer to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s travel advisory for travellers returning to Canada. Federal and provincial public health leaders recommend that all travellers from outside Canada self-isolate for 14 days to slow the spread of COVID-19.
If you have experienced difficulty returning to Canada from March Break and your arrival date back in Canada means that your 14-day self-isolation period will not have been completed by the scheduled reopening of school on April 6, please contact your school board’s Human Resources office. You should not return to work until you have completed the required 14-day period of self-isolation.
If you were considering extending your March Break vacation due to the additional twoweek school closure, please be aware that Prime Minister Trudeau has directed all Canadians travelling outside Canada to return immediately. There is also the expectation that educators are available and at home during the two-week school closure.
On March 17, the Ontario government announced that it was introducing an order to declare an emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. In doing so, Ontario was able to implement restrictions that immediately closed the following establishments:
The closures are in effect until March 31, 2020, at which time there will be a review.
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