There are plenty of empty chairs at schools in the Rainy River District.
Data provided by the Ministry of Education indicates as of Wednesday, January 26, two schools, McCrosson-Tovell in Stratton and Nestor Falls Schools, had over 60 per cent of their students and staff not at school.
Mine Centre was missing half its students and staff.
Riverview in Rainy River and Crossroads School in Devlin were over 30 per cent. Several others were hovering just under that mark.
Rainy River District School Board’s Education Director Heather Campbell says while it’s not typical, it’s not concerning.
“The absences appear high, but when you look at the schools and the context behind some of the schools, you understand that for us, we’re not overly concerned,” says Campbell.
Campbell says some of their smaller schools with small school populations can easily have high absenteeism rates when just a few students aren’t in class.
She says with the schools with a larger student body, a 20 per cent absentee rate is elevated but no cause for alarm.
There are many factors causing students and staff to not be in school.
It could include the need to isolate for a period of time if one is sick. That could lead to more than one child staying home even if they have no symptoms.
“We have the screen, and I really want to thank all staff, students, parents, guardians for following the screen. So if you have one of the COVID symptoms or two or more other symptoms, you’re to stay home and self isolate until your symptoms improve. So people are being very diligent in following that,” says Campbell.
Campbell says some parents have also taken their children out of class out of an abundance of caution over COVID. Students and staff may have missed school for medical or other appointments as well.
Campbell says schools are also impacted by decisions taken by some of the area’s First Nations communities.
“For some schools, it has been a decision by a community not to send the students because of an increase in perhaps COVID on a community.
So out of caution, the community shut down, and we would be missing a whole community of students in some of these schools.”
Atikokan High School is showing to have the best turnout of students and staff. It’s absenteeism rate is just below 6 per cent.
For the Northwest Catholic District School Board, only Our Lady of the Way School in Stratton was reporting over 20 per cent absenteeism.
Atikokan’s St. Patrick School is at the low end with eight per cent.
