More COVID-19 cases at Princess Margaret Secondary has cancelled afternoon classes, effective today.
Beginning Dec. 7 through Dec. 18, Princess Margaret will not have any students in class for the afternoon block, said SD67 superintendent Todd Manuel. Busses will run at 11:30 a.m. for all students.
On Dec. 1, the Princess Margaret community received a letter about a member of the school community had tested positive for COVID-19, and that they were self-isolating at home with support from local public health teams.
Late Friday Dec. 4, Interior Health contacted the district to inform the principal that additional members of the school community had also tested positive for COVID-19.
“I know this has been a very trying time for the students and families of our school. I care very deeply not only for the health of every student of Maggie but also for their educational welfare. Right now, those two things are at odds,” said principal Roger Wiebe in a letter home to parents.
“Mr. Manuel and I have presented a plan that we devised over the weekend in order to alleviate some of the challenges that you are facing in terms of having confidence in sending your children to school.”
All students at Maggie will have remote learning for their afternoon blocks.
The cases at Maggie appear to have happened outside of the school, said Manuel.
“Most individuals are being exposed outside the school. School safety plans have been effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Transmission of COVID-19 at this school, if any, has been minimal.”
“Other places outside schools, such as malls or a friend’s home, will not have the same layers of protection in place as schools and could place students more at risk for contracting the illness.”
Since the announcement of the first case, attendance has dropped at the Skaha area school, but it’s not known to what extent parents have chosen to pull their kids from school for the rest of the year.
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