No-go for in-person return

Snow causes cancellation of buses, classes at several Ontario school boards

A winter storm delayed the return to in-person school across many Ontario school boards Monday, with some deciding to hold classes online in place of a snow day, to the disappointment of families and educators.

The Toronto, York, Halton, Hamilton-Wentworth and OttawaCarleton district school boards were among those that cancelled the planned return to in-school learning after a two-week pandemic shutdown because heavy snow forced a halt to school bus services.

Environment Canada warned 45 centimetres of snow could fall by Monday evening over the Ottawa area.

The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area was expected to get between 40 and 60 centimetres.

The Toronto District School Board, along with several others affected by the storm, was still offering the option of remote learning — a decision criticized by some who were eager for a break from the exhausting online learning and teaching experience.

Karen Brown, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, wrote on Twitter she was “disappointed” in the Toronto board’s decision to run classes online.

“Staff mental health must also be a priority,” she wrote. “I remind ETFO members that you are working in a pandemic. Do whatever it takes to preserve your mental health ...”

Toronto parent Jennifer Sylvester said she was also disappointed in the board’s decision to forego a snow day.

Her 15-year-old son was excited to return to school to see his friends in-person Monday. Despite his frustrations with online learning, she said he decided to log on to class so he wouldn’t fall behind.

“If this was any other normal school year, prior to the to the pandemic, my son would be at home having this day of rest, because that’s what snow days are,” she said.

She said it would have been helpful to give students one day off before resuming classes in-person, after the province delayed the start of in-class learning due a major rise in COVID-19 infections earlier this month.

The Toronto, York and OttawaCarleton boards offered the option of remote learning Monday, but the Hamilton-Wentworth and Halton District boards did not.

The Durham District School Board said there would be no classes for elementary students Monday due to the snow, but secondary students would be learning online.

Tannia Semenko, who lives in Whitby, said her daughter’s junior kindergarten teacher provided school work to do online, but she decided to let her five-year-old make snow angels and toboggan outside instead.

Her daughter is too young to do well with online learning, Semenko said, and her family is looking forward to schools resuming in-person.

She said she’s hopeful schools can stay open to give her daughter some consistency but, if classes go remote again, Semenko said she plans to teach her at home with workbooks and other resources.

“I’m glad that they’re going back, but if it happens again then she won’t be doing online,” she said. “I just don’t find it effective for her.”

East of Toronto, the Kawartha Pine Ridge School Board initially said only school buses were cancelled, but later announced schools would also be closed because of the weather.

Premier Doug Ford told TV station CP24 the delayed return to school would be temporary.

“It’s unfortunate the first day back this is happening, but we’ll get through it like we get through everything else,” Ford said. “Most of the roads should be cleared up over the next day or two.”