THUNDER BAY -- Students and staff at Lakehead Public Schools are being urged to return to wearing facemasks while in school.
In a memo issued on Friday by outgoing director of education Ian MacRae, it's noted that cases in schools have started to rise due to illness.
"I respectfully ask that families and staff consider not letting their health and safety guard down yet," MacRae said. "To help keep our school communities as healthy as possible, I strongly recommend and urge students and staff to choose to wear masks while in schools.
"Please consider the reduction in the spread of illness that masks can achieve. I encourage everyone to keep the health and safety of fellow students and staff in mind as we head into the last two months of school."
The province earlier this year lifted all mask mandates in classrooms and have indicated they will not force students or staff to follow board directives requiring or recommending masks in schools.
