Hundreds of schools across Ontario are set to close again Monday if the province and a union representing education workers can’t agree on a new contract.
Locally, the Thames Valley District School Board advises they are unable to keep schools safely open to in-person learning. Schools will not be open to students and transportation will not be running.
There is no change for those students who are enrolled in Full Remote and/or Virtual Learning or students in some Secondary Specialized Programs that occur outside of TVDSB sites. More information will be provided to these students.
There will be no before/after school programs, no Child Care Centres and no EarlyON Family Centres at Thames Valley schools until further notice, due to health and safety concerns. Families are encouraged to start making alternative arrangements.
How will my child(ren) learn?
Learning will be provided in real-time with teacher-led instruction (synchronous), starting Monday, November 21, 2022. We will do our best to provide continuity of learning for all students. Families are encouraged to refer to the course or classroom’s digital learning platform (Google Classroom or Brightspace) or contact their child’s teacher for information about Monday’s learning.
Technology Deployment
Families with an urgent need will be provided technology starting Monday, November 21, 2022. School staff will let families know when devices are ready to be picked up which may be later in the week depending on school community needs and technology availability.
We appreciate your patience and understanding, this process will take time. Staff are doing their best to deploy technology in a timely manner.
We will continue to provide updates to parents and caregivers through email communications, the TVDSB website and social media channels.
Meantime, the London District Catholic School Board advises if a labour agreement has not been reached by early Monday, all in-school classes will be cancelled and all schools will be closed to students. Learning would be asynchronous that day.
What Will be Closed, Cancelled or Remain Open?
The following would also be cancelled or closed beginning Monday: daycare centres; before and after school programs; Community Use of Schools; St. Patrick Adult and Continuing Education; Family Centres; co-op placements; after school tutoring; International language programs.
The Board office would be open, although staff would work remotely if possible. Meetings and events would be held virtually or rescheduled.
Students enrolled in Virtual Learning: no changes to the normal daily schedule.
Differences Between School Boards
Some school boards have little or no CUPE members, or CUPE may represent different employees than in the LDCSB. CUPE represents roughly 1,300 of the LDCSB’s 3,500 employees, including educational assistants, designated early childhood educators, school office staff, custodial and maintenance staff, IT support staff, and others. We cannot safely operate schools with so many employees absent.
Asynchronous vs Synchronous Learning for Students
Access to a Device and Internet Access: Although some children have access to a personal device and internet at home, many do not. Equitable learning opportunities cannot occur across the school board without these supports. We have always ensured that no student would be disadvantaged during periods of school closures.
Device Distribution and Support: CUPE represents almost 40% of staff in the LDCSB, including most of our IT support staff. Device distribution, management, and all software/hardware support cannot be administered without these services. Schools will try to coordinate distribution from the inventory they have. Please note there are a limited number of available devices.
Asynchronous Learning: Online learning that is not delivered in real time. Students work at their own pace, independently. It may involve students watching pre-recorded video lessons or completing assigned tasks. Students should check for any new items and/or message in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Teachers are available during the instructional day to support students with independent learning.
What Will Happen Next?
The situation is very fluid and there are many unknowns. LDCSB staff are in constant contact with the Ministry of Education, local union representatives and school principals. Information will be provided as it becomes available. Thanks for your continued support as we try to best support students and staff with yet another challenging reality.
