KEC schools back to onsite learning: January 31st
Written by Paul Graif on 27 January 2022
KEC schools will be returning to onsite student learning at each of its three schools as of Monday, January 31st. From a Task Force live event on Kahnàwake 911 and broadcast live right here on your community radio station K1037, it was announced that KEC directors, school administrators, Kahnawà:ke Local Public Health and other key personnel closely monitored COVID-19 specific data over the two-week reopening period January 11th through to the 25th. Although there were sporadic, positive cases in schools, schools had no virus spread and classes remained open. Robin Delaronde is the Executive Director of the KEC:
“What we did see as of last week and in the see past few days has been that there were more instances where our staff did identify as (having) Covid-19. There were impacts to our resources and so forth and we were able to administer some services, but overall we managed very well over this period.”
The safety measures implemented, along with additional protocols, continue to help limit risks in KEC schools even though current data shows that not all parents are completing the online daily health check form. You are being asked to complete the online form before sending your child(ren) to school. Fallon Jacobs is the associate Director of Education at the KEC:
“For the KEC identifying a student with Covid-19 now falls within categories. Either Covid-related symptoms identified at home verified using a rapid test, Covid-19 symptoms identified at school with a test administered from school personnel or safety monitors as well as Covid-19 related symptoms identified at home where no tests were available or given.”
You are being asked to continue following the regular school procedure, notifying the school when your child is absent for any reason.
The KEC provided the following recent statistics that highlight the vaccinated school-age groups in Kahnawà:ke:
|
5-11 year olds |
21% vaccinated with 1st dose |
|
12-15 year olds |
81% vaccinated with 1st and 2nd dose |
|
16-17 year olds |
95% vaccinated with 1st dose & 87% vaccinated with 2nd dose |
|
18+ year olds |
83% vaccinated with 1st and 2nd dose |
Commissioner of Public Safety, Lloyd Phillips was in attendance at the briefing with some great new for the community:
“I’m pleased to announce today that we did receive over 12 Thousand rapid tests that we will be in the process of distributing to the community much like we did last time. They are being distributed to the education facilities in the community and such, but we’re working out all the logistics and those will be available to the community very shortly and we we’re going to put more information out on that in the next little while.”
