THUNDER BAY — Attendance at Thunder Bay-area schools has improved since last week when the province began publishing absenteeism data for all schools in Ontario.
The government started releasing the data online in conjunction with the return to in-person learning.
Twelve schools operated by the Lakehead District School Board and the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board reported on Jan. 24 that over 30 per cent of their staff and students were absent.
Five of these schools had rates over 40 per cent.
Wednesday's update from the province, however, showed only five local schools with absenteeism over 30 per cent, including two at more than 40 per cent:
- Algonquin Ave. - 42.2 per cent
- McKellar Park - 34.3 per cent
- Sherbrooke - 31.8 per cent
- St. James - 39 per cent
- St. Elizabeth - 44.6 per cent
The data reflects attendance the previous day, and includes all absences, not only those related to COVID-19.
The province suspended the reporting of new COVID-19 cases in schools at the beginning of the New Year.
However, families are to be notified directly once a school population's absenteeism rate is 30 per cent higher than a baseline of the average absence rates for staff and students on a regular day.
In these cases, school boards are required to discuss the situation with public health officials, and schools will be closed if that's deemed to be necessary.
On Wednesday, seven of 4,484 Ontario schools were closed.
Lakehead Public Schools and the Thunder Bay Catholic board have both said they will send an email to families at schools where a student or staff member's positive test result has been disclosed to the school voluntarily.
