Schools stay closed Tuesday, return to class pushed back by storm

The CityNews Extreme Weather Centre has a full list of cancelled buses and school closures, which can be found here.

The first snowstorm of the year is putting a damper on what was supposed to be the first week back in the classroom for GTA teachers and students.

The same day in-person learning was set to resume in Ontario on Monday, a winter storm forced the cancellation of hundreds of buses and kept academy doors closed for most of the region. Several school boards — including the Toronto District School Board and others — made the collective decision to shutter classrooms once again for Tuesday as the storm clean-up continued.

Toronto District School Board: The TDSB announced it had cancelled in-person learning and school buses for Tuesday, Jan. 18. There will be no virtual learning as teachers have the choice to post work online.

Toronto Catholic District School Board: The TCDSB cancelled school buses and closed schools for in-person learning for Tuesday.

Peel District School Board: The PDSB says schools and board facilities will remain closed to students and staff for Tuesday, Jan. 188. Students will switch to remote learning for the day. “Parents, please do not send your child(ren) to school,” the school board says.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board: DPCDSB schools and board facilities will remain closed to students and staff for Tuesday, Jan. 18. Students will switch to remote learning for the day.

Halton District School Board: THE HDSB says all schools are closed and buses are cancelled for Tuesday.

Halton Catholic District School Board: THE HCDSB says schools are closed and buses are cancelled for Tuesday. Students may choose to access asynchronous materials/tasks but no live instruction will take place.

York Region District School Board: The YDSB says schools will remain closed on Jan. 18. Students will switch to remote learning for the day. Officials are cautioning parents not to send their children to school on Tuesday.

York Catholic District School Board: The YCDSB says buses are cancelled and schools will remain closed on Jan. 18. Students will switch to remote learning. Officials are cautioning parents not to send their children to school on Tuesday.

Durham District School Board: The DDSB say all schools are closed on Tuesday and secondary schools will switch to virtual learning, no classes for elementary schools.

Durham Catholic District School Board: The DCDSB says all schools are closed on Tuesday and secondary schools will switch to virtual learning, no classes for elementary schools. Buses are cancelled for all zones.

Last week, the province announced that students and staff would return to classrooms on Monday. The Ministry of Education outlined various measures to keep schools safe and open amid an ongoing surge of COVID-19 Omicron cases across the province.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the province’s return to in-person learning would focus on rapid testing, improved ventilation and more access to vaccinations and personal protective equipment (PPE).

It was revealed that principals at Ontario schools would only be required to report COVID-19 outbreaks to Public Health Units when absenteeism rates among students and staff hit a 30 per cent threshold. The province says the 30 per cent threshold only applies to reporting to Public Health Units, but the information will still be available through the Ministry before reaching that point.

Some school boards, including the Toronto District School Board, say that directly impacted classes will be informed when schools become aware of a PCR or RAT confirmed case.

The province’s plan includes doling out two rapid antigen tests to each student and staff member when symptomatic.

The province said that the rapid antigen tests would be provided “starting with staff in child care and public schools, children in child care settings, and students in public elementary schools, followed by secondary students,” the province said.

The updated guidance sparked concern among trustees, teachers, and parents alike. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board sent an open letter to Lecce outlining specific concerns they have now with the province’s plan.

Millions more Canadian students are set to return to school on Monday, with students in Québec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia also heading back to classrooms.

With files from Michael Talbot of CityNews