Elementary school students in Bruce and Grey will be getting a long weekend.
The Bluewater District School Board announced last week that they will be closing elementary schools and Grade 7 and 8 classes in secondary schools this Friday.
This is in response to the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario’s decision to hold a one-day teachers strike that day.
Officials with the school board say the union’s full withdrawal of services will significantly impact the operation of the schools.
They say this will not impact students in Grades 9 to 12 who will be undertaking exams that day.
Third party child care centres will remain open and Community Education evening programs will continue to run.
However, they say parents and guardians should be prepared for the possibility of crossing picket lines.
Meanwhile, there will be no classes for elementary school students in the Avon Maitland District School Board on Thursday.
The ETFO say teachers will be hitting the picket lines that day.
On Saturday, ETFO President released a statement saying “In the 28 days since our last bargaining session on December 19, 2019, the Ford government and Minister Lecce have had ample time to return to contract talks with ETFO and they have chosen not to do so.”
Issues are class sizes, cuts for students with special needs, the all-day kindergarten program, along with fair compensation.
