WINDSOR, ONT. -- Education Minister Stephen Lecce said on Feb. 7 he is expecting to know “in the coming week” if medical officials think they need to cancel March Break.
In the meantime, parents like Lisa Lachance are worrying about the “double-edge sword” of the idea.
On one hand, Lachance worries too many families will travel over March Break, if it isn’t cancelled.
“Even if they go up north, we’re still running that risk of having spikes within our city,” she says.
But on the flip side, she recognizes educators likely need a break, “it refreshes them, it rejuvenates them.”
Grade 10 student Natalie Lachance says she’s relieved to be back to in-person learning, and worries it will be cancelled again if COVID cases spike after March Break.
Natalie says being in-person helps her learn.
“If my teacher is busy, I can say to my friends, hey, can you help me with this, I don’t understand it,” she says.
The Ontario Public School Board Association too believes it’s a hard decision.
“We don’t want March Break to exacerbate the pandemic,” says Cathy Abraham, president of OPSBA.
But she also wants the province to take into account the toll the pandemic has had on students and educators.
“We just want the government to recognize this has been a long haul for everyone in education, I mean, it’s been a long haul, for everyone.”
And Abraham believes all Ontario families could use a break from their laptops and tablets.
The province hasn’t said when they will make this decision but Minister Lecce promises to give parents “ample” time to make arrangements.
March Break runs from the 15th through the 19th of the month, which is five weeks away.
