CORNWALL, Ontario – The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) has announced that they will close on days that buses are not running because of inclement weather.
“In the past, when bus transportation was cancelled due to poor weather conditions, schools remained open and welcomed students who either walked or were dropped off by a parent or guardian. The smaller attendance numbers and staff absences due to road conditions usually meant classes were often blended together to continue learning activities while maximizing supervision,” reads a statement from the UCDSB.
“Due to the COVID-19 protocols in our schools, this blended-class practice cannot happen this year with our requirement to maintain existing cohorts. As well, we can’t guarantee proper supervision for each cohort as road conditions may not permit all staff to travel to their schools,” the UCDSB statement goes on to read.
As a result, students will be expected to participate instead in remote learning activities provided by the school.
In a statement on Nov. 16, the UCDSB said that the details are still being worked out but offered the following guidelines:
- Learning materials will be made available to students on Remote Learning Days. This may be learning activities posted on the classroom’s Microsoft Team or Desire 2 Learn (D2L) portal or activities assigned by the teacher from the previous day;
- Materials will be provided in either digital or printed form, whichever suits the students’ needs;
- Learning materials will consist of review activities, and not new lessons;
- Student attendance will be recorded exactly as it’s been done for inclement weather days in the past, and students will not be marked as absent on these days, and;
- Childcare centres in our schools are independently operated and are not linked to decisions related to student transportation for the school board. Families are encouraged to contact their childcare provider to confirm if they are open on an inclement weather day.
