'It’s concerning': Class dismissals continue
Olive McMahon enjoys being back at school.
"I don't want to come home again and go online."
The seven year old echoes the general sentiment of many.
McMahon was sidelined more than once last year, which included her being sent home with the virus. Her mom says she experienced mixed emotions, "with missing work and contacting people on your own and telling them they had been exposed. Monitoring symptoms making sure everyone is doing ok. Ya, it was a lot."
It's a scenario she would prefer to avoid this year.
"I'm hoping we can find a way to not just dismiss cohorts or close schools like St. Joseph's has done. Maybe we can use rapid testing. I just wanna hope that we can keep these schools open and these kids in class."
Her husband Mike added, "What I would personally like to see is if there's something the province could provide as sort of a support network for sick days, if that could be enhanced. Families will need it."
More students will be idled Monday after Catholic Central high school announced the dismissal of three classes and a bus cohort Saturday. OSSTF District 9 president Erin Roy is concerned and feels it creates some confusion in the classes for students and teachers alike.
"It's not the easiest work environment for the classroom teacher I think the health unit is erring on the side of caution and making sure that they're trying to curb the spread as much as they can."
Roy anticipates more classes and cohorts being sent home in the coming weeks but feels much more at ease than a year ago.
"We all want this to go away but I still think we're better off than we were last year. We only had students coming in every other day and there were times the case count was much higher."
The public school board says they are doing their part informing affected students and are following the guidelines set forth by our local health unit.
Public Relations Officer Scott Scantlebury reminds parents and students the confirmed case and outbreak plan can be found on board’s website.
"We really do want to keep kids in school if at all possible but we've all got a part to play in it in following the guidelines and being as safe and careful as possible."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as possible Rafah offensive looms
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a possible Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.