COVID-19 case at Maples school a ‘wake-up call’

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This article was published 30/10/2020 (1982 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Officials at Maples Collegiate say the school’s second positive COVID-19 test is a “huge wake-up call” for its community.

On Oct. 26, Maples Collegiate officials released a letter to its families, announcing that a student had tested positive for COVID-19 and had attended a party over the previous weekend.

Principal Scott Shier told the Times the student notified Maples Collegiate about their positive test result, but the school had not heard from Public Health at press time. After the school became aware of the positive test result, students and families contacted officials to inform them of the student’s attendance at a gathering recently.

“I had numerous calls from our community and students that they heard there was a party on the weekend. And they also heard this student went to social media, and informed their friends that they had tested positive, and they should get tested as well,” Shier said.

Individuals involved with the student have either been tested and/or are isolating at home, Shier added.

Maples Collegiate students were upset after learning that some students had not been following provincial health and safety protocols, Shier said.

“Seeing the social media response from our students — they were really disappointed that someone had a party; they more or less went off on our students that attended the party.

“Our student body really stepped up and said, you know, we have to work together to get over this, or we’re going to be looking at a school shut down and things like that. And our students don’t want to do that.”

Maples Collegiate is not currently taking steps to discipline students who test positive for COVID-19 as a result of breaking provincial health and safety protocols. However, the school may consider this if it becomes a recurring issue.

“I think the discipline is the price they’re paying right now: having to get tested, having to self isolate for two weeks,” Shier said. “They’re taking it very seriously now, and are also very worried about it. You know, they’re good kids that made a mistake.”

“That’s why I sent (the letter) out to the community, because I wanted people to be aware that we can’t have this behaviour moving forward.”

The principal explained the school continues to take health and safety precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing masks, and contact tracing.

The first positive COVID-19 test at Maples Collegiate was identified on Oct. 14, according to a Seven Oaks School Division spokesperson.

At press time, a total of 17 schools within the district had identified positive cases between September and October.

“In virtually every case the infection was contracted outside of the school,” the division said in a letter published on its website on Oct. 26.

That same day, schools in Winnipeg and the surrounding metropolitan region moved into level orange restriction as per the province’s order.

In response, Seven Oaks School Division decided to pause all field trips, choral singing and band, according to a statement on the division’s website. The district is also hiring additional staff and temporarily extending remote learning for students in kindergarten to Grade 8. Extended measures will vary between schools.