TLDSB decides to close schools on snow days

DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: The Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) has decided to keep schools closed when buses are cancelled due to snow or icy weather. At a meeting on Tuesday, November 10th, board members heard an update from Director of Education Wesley Hahn. “One of the things we are preparing for is, how to proceed with inclement weather. This has been in our thoughts or on our radar for a couple of weeks now, or longer,” Director Hahn explained. The education director said in the past, the board has kept schools open during ‘snow days’. “Of course, whoever could make it to the schools safely, teachers and students, would arrive in our buildings.” But the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way the board is looking at issues like this. “The normal procedure, there would be to take the kids that you have, maybe mix them with another class if their teacher couldn’t get in. The whole idea is getting a teacher in front of kids, and they would do their best to obviously keep the learning moving. But that would involve mixing of cohorts of kids, and that is something public health is not supporting,” Director Hahn said. “So, looking at moving forward, when transportation is not running in a region, we are going to be moving forward with closing schools.” When the schools close due to ‘snow days’, students will receive online learning.

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