School District 43 students can look forward to spring break beginning March 16 but no earlier, district officials have confirmed.
In an email, SD43 spokesperson Ken Hoff said Friday there has been no discussion of school closures in response to the global COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.
One new case out of 21 in B.C. has been identified as coming from a “community transmission,” which means it wasn’t due to travel and health officials can’t find the source. Another was linked to University Canada West in Vancouver, which closed its campuses Wednesday for three days of disinfection.
SD43 says there are no plans to close its schools.
“There is no district discussion around closing schools early for spring break or at any time in reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak,” Hoff said in a statement Friday. "If such an action were to be directed by Fraser Health, provincial health authorities or the Ministry of Education, SD43 would comply with those directions. Until such a directive is received, all schools will be open and operating normally."
But parents considering overseas travel with their children during spring break are asked to be cautious.
In a letter to parents this week, SD43 superintendent Patricia Gartland asked parents and staff who are travelling overseas during spring break to consider the possibility of a needed quarantine upon their return to Canada and to be aware of federal travel advisories.
Earlier this week, SD43 cancelled five field trips to Europe, Asia and Africa that were to take place in March, with decisions on later trips to be made later.
SD43 staff are also regularly disinfecting “touch points” in schools as they would in regular cold and flu season.
