Windsor-Essex students told to empty lockers, desks in case of online school in January

School boards in Windsor-Essex are asking students to take home all materials in their desks and lockers ahead of the winter break, in case classes move backonline in the new year.

The move comes as COVID-19 cases continue to climb across the province. While the goal of provincial and local officials has been to keep schools open to in-person learning, the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) chair Alicia Higgison saidthey want to be ready if virtual classes make a return.

"We just want to be able to prepare people for what might potentially be coming. We know what this feels like, we were here last year," Higgison told CBC News.

"Take your stuff home and just kind of do a locker clean out and desk clean out.Bring it all home and hopefully you can justbring it all back with you on Jan.3, and that's what we're really hoping for at this point."

The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB) said it is also sending an automated phone call to parents and asking them to have their children bring home anything they might need for virtual learning in January.

WATCH: Public board talks about possible virtual move

'It's frustrating:' Public school board chairperson talks about possible return to online school

3 years ago

Duration 0:52

Alicia Higgison says it's difficult to be back in the same position as last year. In 2020, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit closed schools a week before the holiday break due to rising COVID-19 cases. Students didn't end up returning to the classroom until February 2021.

The final day of classes before the holiday break is Friday and students are expected to return on Jan. 3.

Higgison said the decision to return to online learning in 2022 is based on regional COVID-19 data. She said the announcement will either come from theMinistry of Education or the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU).

"It's frustrating. It's very difficult to be in the same position again. Although Iam very grateful that we have the experience that we had last time so that we can ... prepare for just in case, where it's not as wild as it was last year and not as much as a hit to your soul that's already challenged right now," Higgison said.

Last year at this time, WECHU closed all schools in the region a week before the holidays due to the spread of COVID-19 in the region. Students didn't end up returning to the classroom until February.

53 English board schools currently have cases

As of Wednesday, there are 636 active COVID-19 cases in the region.

Eleven schools are experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak and dozensof others have reported cases with classes sent home.

According to the GECDSBwebsite, it has 40schools reporting one or more cases as of Dec.1.

Meanwhile, WECDSBhas 13schools with one or more caseas of Tuesday, according to its website.