Many parents are left in limbo awaiting news of whether their children's schools will be open on Monday if thousands of education workers go through with a threatened strike.
The failed negotiations and the work-to-rule campaign have meant uncertainty for students right across the province.
In our region, several school boards have committed to keeping the doors closed on Monday and keeping them shut until a deal is reached.
The school boards that have stated they will be closed pending a full legal strike include York District, York Catholic Peel, Dufferin Peel Catholic, Grey Bruce Catholic, and Trillium Lakelands, and Simcoe Muskoka Catholic.
The Simcoe County Public School Board and the Bluewater District School Board will remain open to students on Monday even if there is a strike. Each board will post updates on their websites as necessary.
Each school board in Ontario has different union representations. Some boards have several workers with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, including early childhood educators and educational assistants.
"Student safety has to be our number one concern if we're going to keep our schools open," Simcoe Muskoka District School Board director of education, Brian Beal says. "They [parents] may need to prepare for alternative plans for their children on Monday."
Beal says his school board has one group represented by CUPE, which includes 180 custodial staff. He says their absence can halt the learning process.
"We're required to do water flushing in all of our schools every Monday morning before the students enter the building," he explains. "Before-school care starts at 6 o'clock, so as you can imagine, we'd have to be at schools at three, four in the morning to get the lines flushed." A task other senior staff, like principals, would have to take on.
CUPE, which began a work-to-rule campaign on Monday - will return to the bargaining table with the province and school boards Friday afternoon for a round of talks over the weekend.
Parents are encouraged to check their school board websites for any updates.
- With files from The Canadian Press
