Occasional teachers worry about working in multiple Hamilton schools during COVID-19

Vanessa Romphfhas a lump in her throat and a pit in her stomach when she thinks about next week it's the week schools open.

"I'm really nervous about going everywhere. I'm just trying to make ends meet," she said.

She doesn't know enough about her role one week before she and others are set to start teaching.

The unknown hasRomphfand others questioning if they'lleven teach this September.

It's one of theconcerns school boards are managing as they look to start a new school year.

School boards have different plans

Both of Hamilton's school boards have different approaches to supply teaching.

The public board told CBC itis offering about a day-and-a-half of paid training for occasionalstaff on school reopening and occupational health and safety.

"We did not limit or assign occasional staff to specific schools to work knowing we opted to provide proper training to all occasional staff in advance and we know who and where they are within the buildings when the pick up work,"Jamie Nunn, superintendent of human resources at Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, said.

"I am mindful that many of our occasional staff are potentially working for other school boards as well."

HWDSB also received$1,536,017 from the province for supply and non-permanent staff and is planning how it will spend that money.

Barry Naidoo, president of the Hamilton-Wentworth Occasional Teacher's Local for elementary schools, told CBC he is "concerned" about everyone's health and safety, but didn't detail any specific worries.

"It will be up to the casual/OT staff member to accept or decline any calls," he said.

The Catholic board, meanwhile, will putlimits on where supply teachers can work.

"Although the plan hasn't been completely finalized, we're looking at assigning occasional teachersto as few schools as possible, in some cases, maybe one," Pat Daly, chairperson at Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, said.

In long-term care homes, personal support workers (PSWs)were able to work between residences. It was a vector for COVID-19.

Colin Furness, an epidemiologist with the University of Toronto, toldCBClong-term care homes have a muchdeadlier risk profilethan schools but allowing staff to move from school to school or board to board is the same principle and a"bad idea, no question."

"If COVID gets into one school this becomes a very easy vector for it to be able to cross into another school," he explained.

"Putting coins in the risk pile and the safety pile, if you have teachers going from school to school to school, you're putting some more coins in the risk pile."

Limiting movement of teachers is key

Roughly two weeks ago,Ontario Education Minister Stephen Leccesaid the ministry was paying attention to the issue of occasionalteachers.

"Our guidance already says to school boards that those supply teachers or occasional teachers really need to be, to the extent humanly possible, focused on one school or a small limit of schools," he said.

Furness believeslimiting teachers' options is the ideal approach.

Substitute teacher fears being vector for coronavirus

4 years ago

Duration 2:52

Montreal supply teacher Iain Childerhose says the prospect that he will transfer COVID-19 from one school to the next 'makes me a little bit scared.'

"It's the question of trying to minimize impact but also minimize the number of teachers going place to place and I would couple that with enhanced testing of teachers," he explained.

Furnessadded that teachers should be tested frequently.

'I want to teach, but I need to live'

Romphf said she'll try to limit her own options, but without equitable rules in place, it isn't that simple. Educators still need to make money.

Hope Smith, an occasional teacher in the District School Board of Niagara, told CBC, staff like her are havingto choose between their health and their income.

"I average about 17 schools a month ...but I'm looking at 2,000 to 2,500 students a week. Think about the risk that's inherent in that," she said.

"If I try to limit my own self, I will maybe work once or twice a month whereas before I would be working five days a week."

She wonders how school boards are going to be able to properly contact trace if she is able to move between schools with the same freedom as before.

It's something Smith is especially worried about knowing that her 18-year-old son has a weaker immune system.

"They're saying the kids won't get sick, but I will and if I do, my kid has nothing to fight it," she said.

Smith hasconsidered moving out while she teaches, but said she doesn't have the money.

She's also considered quitting.

Both Romphf and Smith say they both love teaching and theboards are doing their best but the province needs to step up.

"We are at tremendous risk," Smith said.

"I want to teach, but I need to live."

Attention parents, students and teachers: We want to hear from you!

We hope you'll use this form to tell us about school conditions, how classes are going or whatever other pressing issues are on your mind this September in Hamilton, Niagara, St. Catharines and Burlington.