In case of strike, learning to continue online: school boards

Both Thames Valley District School Board and London District Catholic School Board plan to close all schools to in-person learning if Canadian Union of Public Employees workers go on strike as expected as of Monday morning, Nov. 21.

TVDSB has announced it plans to start issuing electronic devices to families that need them, so students can engage in online learning.

However, LDCSB, with 40 percent of its total staff represented by CUPE including information technology workers, stated it would be hard-pressed to follow suit, and would ask schools to do what they could to distribute existing devices already in stock at each.

In its statement, TVDSB said that “During this time, we are unable to keep schools safely open to in-person learning,” and in addition, school buses would not run.

Before and after school programs and child care centres and EarlyON Family Centres at TVDSB schools would also be closed. “Families are encouraged to start making alternative arrangements.”

Online classes would commence on Monday, Nov. 21, Thames Valley said. On that day, families with an urgent need to electronic devices would begin to receive them.

Schools would let families know when the devices were ready to be picked up.

LDCSB noted that students would be expected to study and learn on their own on Monday, Nov. 21, after which online teaching would  begin.