Ontario's public elementary schools will be open Monday, but teachers will not perform some administrative duties as part of what they're calling the first phase of a province-wide strike.

Extracurricular activities and field trips will continue for now, there will be no  standardized tests, no comments will be added to report cards beyond the marks, and teachers won't participate in any meetings or professional development related to Ministry of Education initiatives.

The president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario left open the door to escalating the job action.

"This strike action is incremental in nature," Sam Hammond said Friday. "It will continue in its current form until (the government and school boards') demands are withdrawn from the bargaining table or ETFO deems that further actions are required."

Parents in Barrie on Friday were relieved teachers are not walking out of the classroom but they know things will be different and have mixed emotions.

“Am I happy about? Not really but you know what they have their rights to choose what they need to what’s best for them,” said one parent.

Representing 76,000 teachers, the EFTO says it has been negotiating unsuccessfully for eight months with the province.

Protests were held outside all MPP offices on Friday, including Barrie MPP Anne Hogarth’s. Parents and teachers were supporting both elementary and secondary school staff, saying the province needs to step in and do more.

“We want the government to take the lead and to get deals for everybody, right now who works in the education sector, teachers, education workers, education assistants, elementary, secondary – everyone wants a deal,” said OSSTF Union Rep. Karen Littlewood.

Education Minister Liz Sandals says she is disappointed with the ETFO decision, but she is "encouraged" that students will remain in the classrooms.

"What I do want to make very clear is that my folks are ready and willing to bargain. It's ETFO that has left the bargaining table. So if we're going to bargain we need ETFO to come back to the table,” said Sandals.

No new talks are planned as of now.

With files from The Canadian Press

LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS

Here are links to local school boards to get latest information on the labour dispute: