COVID-19 forces Brampton school to close

A Brampton elementary school has been closed because several teachers have been sent home to self-isolate due to COVID-19.

McHugh Public School, located in the downtown area of Brampton, has seen 14 staff members put into isolation this week prompting the closuring and forcing students back into online learning at home.

The Peel District School Board says there were three confirmed cases of COVID at the school but due to incidences of close contact the decision was made to remove the teachers from the classroom. Because there were not enough supply teachers to fill in, the board decided the closure was necessary.

“The temporary absence of this many staff and the challenges in securing Occasional Teachers to provide staffing relief in the short term, has placed considerable pressure on our ability to provide safe supervision and to maintain operations in an in­ person environment  at our school,” Principal Jane Marshall wrote in a letter sent to parents. The principal has also been sent home to isolate.

The closure could last until at least March 16.