The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board unveiled details of a back to school plan Wednesday night, but it may not be the finished product.
A major focus of the document is "cohorts" to minimize contact between students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The groups will use the same doors to enter and exit schools, classrooms and even bathrooms to help stop the virus from spreading and allow health officials to better track an outbreak.
Communications Director Stephen Fields says finalizing those protocols will likely lead to some changes to the plan.
"Of course there will be more communication directly from the schools as they need to adapt this plan to meet the individual designs of their buildings," added Fields.
He says more specific documents geared directly towards parents, students and staff will also be developed.
"Those documents are going to be informed largely by the feedback and questions that we receive from parents, but also from the specific protocols that we receive from the ministry and our colleagues at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit," he says.
Director of Education Terry Lyons told the board a plan for those who aren't comfortable returning is still being developed.
"We're well aware that we may have families with children that are anxious to come back to school, so they may choose to stay home and they're well within their rights to do that," he says. "We also may have staff that has challenges that they may desire to remain at home and some of that still needs to be worked out."
Screening, hygiene and respiratory etiquette along with suspected and positive cases, personal protective equipment, scheduling, transportation, and mental health for both elementary and secondary students are also covered in the document.
The board will be posting the complete plan and how to provide feedback on its website Wednesday night.