Red Phase Brings Spike In Student Absences

The Anglophone South School District has seen a spike in student absences since Zone 2 moved to the Red phase this week.

Numbers provided by the school district show around 15 per cent of students were absent Monday and Tuesday.

That figure jumped to 23 per cent on Wednesday — the first day in the Red phase — and 27 per cent on Thursday.

Zoë Watson, the superintendent of the school district, said she was not surprised by the increase.

“We had noted that same jump in absenteeism back in November when our area went to the Orange phase for the first time,” Watson said in an interview Thursday.

“It did go to about 28 per cent early that week that we were first in the Orange phase. When we went to the second phase of Orange shortly after the Christmas break, we didn’t see absenteeism change that much.”

Watson said they have seen a higher degree of absenteeism this week in schools from Saint John to Sussex, which she attributed to outbreaks at a number of schools in that area.

Five schools in the district have reported COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks: Millidgeville North School and Princess Elizabeth School in Saint John, Quispamsis Middle School, Kennebecasis Valley High School in Quispamsis, and Belleisle Elementary School in Springfield.

Both Belleisle Elementary and Princess Elizabeth saw absentee rates above 50 per cent this week.

Watson would not say how many cases have been confirmed at the schools but noted it is a “very small number.”

“I think it’s important to note that in our schools, we’re not seeing any evidence of student-to-student transmission of the virus,” she said.

The Higgs government has faced backlash from parents and teachers for allowing schools to remain open during the Red phase, despite earlier promising a move to virtual learning in that phase.

Watson said parents should feel comfortable knowing that schools have strict health and safety protocols in place, particularly in the Red phase.

In addition to masks and physical distancing, students and staff must stay home if they have even one symptom of COVID-19.

Any school in the Red level which confirms a positive case will be closed for at least three days to allow for contact tracing and on-site testing for school staff.

“We know it’s an ever-evolving situation but we do feel that our schools are very safe,” said Watson.