LAKELAND - About 130 staff members in six Conseil Scolaire Centre-Est (CSCE) schools across the Lakeland will be affected by the Francophone school division's new COVID-19 measures that will come into effect on January 3.
Following provincial government recommendations, the school board's members have approved a new administrative procedure calling for all staff in Conseil Scolaire schools to be fully immunized against the coronavirus by January 3 of next year or show a recent negative test result. The new procedure will also be in place for visitors to the district's schools and volunteers at school-based functions. The new rules do not apply to students — but the students are a big part of why the rules will be in place, says CSCE Superintendent Dolorese Nolette.
"It is our obligation as employers ... to put in place every strategy we can to ensure a safe and healthy working and learning environment for our staff and students," Nolette told Lakeland This Week.
The board expects the procedure to remain in place until the end of the current school year.
"We expect it will be in place until the end of June. It will be re-evaluated at that time," said Nolette, based on updated recommendations from the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health.
From January 3 to the end of the school year, the allowance for negative rapid test results will remain in place. The school division will cover the costs for the tests until February 14. Tests taken after that date will be at the expense of the individual, said Nolette.
The administrative procedure does include provisions for approved exemptions, also provisions for unpaid leaves of absence for those choosing not to follow the procedure and not able to attain an approved exemption.
FAQ comments on CSCE website
Segments of information found on the school board's information page about the new Administrative Procedure include:
Q: What if I don't want to be vaccinated or participate in the rapid test program?
A: Personal preference is not an acceptable reason for not complying with this administrative procedure, even if it is based on health concerns. An employee may request a leave of absence without pay while this administrative procedure is in effect.
Q: Can I purchase and administer rapid tests myself?
A: Between January 3, 2022 and February 14, 2022, the CSCE provides testing and monitoring. After that, yes, you can purchase and administer rapid tests yourself.
Q: Do I need to show proof of vaccination if I work from home?
A: Proof of immunization is required for all those entering the CSCE facilities.
As of the end of last week, Nolette said no staff member or person affected by the new administrative procedure had made a formal request to her office for an exemption. Any granted an exemption will still have to take regular rapid tests.
The school board does not yet have a plan in place to address a scenario where staff choose to take an unpaid leave rather than follow the new rules.
Students in CSCE schools have not shown a significant reaction to the vaccination mandate taking place around them. Nolette said she recently wrapped up a visit to each school in the district, speaking to the students.
"COVID never really came up," she said, adding that while vaccine discussions happen around them, students are generally just happy to be with their friends. "They are just happy to be in school. Just happy to be with people."
Following suit
The local Francophone school board joins other educational organizations across the province and the region in recent weeks that have adopted a vaccination plan for staff and visitors. The St. Paul Education school board announced the vaccination plan last week, and Portage College campus locations across the Lakeland will also be falling under a hybrid vaccination plan in the new year.
RELATED — St. Paul Education votes for vaccination mandate
RELATED — Portage College extends rapid test allowance
While staff at the 26 schools in the Northern Lights Public Schools system have yet to fall under a board-decided vaccine mandate, NLPS officials say the discussions will likely be taking place — but not this year.
"Since other boards in the province are initiating APs to address this topic, we likely will be developing one as well — although I do not know what will be included in it," said NLPS spokesperson Nicole Garner following last Friday's monthly trustee board meeting that was held in Lac La Biche. "Since this is the final meeting of the calendar year, it won’t happen in 2021."
NLPS board members did not have any discussions in the public portion of Friday's meeting about vaccination mandates, but they have sent the topic to their lawyers for legal opinions. The next NLPS board of trustees meeting is slated for Wednesday, January 12 of 2022.
Conseil Scolaire Centre-Est has schools in Bonnyvile, Lac La Biche, St. Paul, Plamondon and Cold Lake.
