Most Newmarket students are able to take their masks off as of today, but at least one local school says its students and teachers must keep wearing them.
Pickering College, an independent school for junior kindergarten to Grade 12, is continuing to require masks indoors on campus after March 21, for at least a couple of weeks. The province has lifted public health mask mandates as of today, except in settings like health care and long-term care.
Head of school Peter Sturrup said with many students travelling for March break, boarding students and some younger students under age five who have yet to be vaccinated, they wanted to monitor the situation before lifting mandates. Students are not back to class at Pickering College until March 28.
“We felt it was best to continue masking for a period of time once we return,” he said. “Not very many people in terms of the overall school community have reacted in one way or another.”
Some local parents and child health experts have questioned the province's timeline of lifting mask mandates at schools, with the Children’s Health Coalition indicating it would have preferred an additional two weeks after March break before changes.
Pickering College said it has experienced more students and staff testing positive and isolating over the past several weeks than at any other time during the pandemic. Sturrup said they have not necessarily had more transmission than other organization, but their cases lately have been noteworthy.
"Certainly, more than the beginning of the pandemic and even the last year," Stirrup said. "We're aware the Omicron variant has been much more easy to catch. We just wanted to be extra careful."
Some local parents started a letter campaign asking for York Region’s two publicly funded school boards to maintain mask mandates despite the provincial directive. Premier Doug Ford has told public school boards to follow the new protocol, though one board in Hamilton is keeping its mask mandate regardless.
Sturrup said Pickering College has not heard anything from the province in regards to its decision. He said although they have not directly spoken with York Region Public Health, they are following its advisement to keep wearing masks.
York Region District School Board said it would follow provincial directives and “ will continue to consult with public health to ensure we are taking all appropriate measures.”
“Individuals who feel more comfortable, or who are advised to wear a mask, can continue to wear a mask and will be supported," the board said.
York Catholic District School Board said likewise.
"YCDSB staff will continue to support student well-being as these changes are implemented, and work to ensure everyone feels safe, welcome and encouraged."
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario said in a statement that the province is “undermining” public boards.
“Throughout the pandemic, schools have been expected to meet a different set of rules than other high-risk settings. The government’s insistence that boards remove the mask mandate in schools continues this misguided practice," the union said.
The province is also ending other public health measures at schools, including, cohorting and physical distancing. In addition, mandatory vaccination or testing for staff also ended March 14.
But Pickering stated online it would continue requiring daily completion of a screening app before arrival at school. It said it would approach changing cohorting requirements “cautiously,” lifting some of them for more activities.
Sturrup said they would be reviewing its policies every two weeks.
"We will look at what's happening in the province," he said. "We will be monitoring what's happen overall with the transmission of the new variants and see what public health continues to recommend."
