Snow day plans vary by school board

Storm preparations underway Freezing rain and snow is in the forecast. CTV's Jeff Pickel has more on how the cities and region are preparing,

Snow days are a rite of passage for kids living in southwestern Ontario, and the two words can make or break a day’s plans after a heavy snowfall.

But, with the rise of remote learning, snow days are starting to take on a different meaning.

On Thursday, a significant winter storm is expected to bombard much of southern Ontario, which may hamper school bus operations and close schools.

Environment Canada is warning surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery.

“Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas. There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas,” an alert from the weather agency on Wednesday afternoon says.

Here are the contingency plans for school boards across southwestern Ontario for when inclement weather hits:

WATERLOO REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

The Waterloo Region District School Board says if buses are cancelled due to inclement weather, schools will remain open unless the board deems it unsafe to do so.

If parents feel it is unsafe to send their children to school, they should call the school attendance line and let the school know. The board says there is no penalty for making this decision.

If nothing is posted on the board’s website or social media channels by 6 a.m., it is a regular school day.

When schools are closed, asynchronous learning, for example watching pre-recorded lessons or completing assigned tasks, will take place remotely.

“Educators in both the in-person and remote learning programs will provide asynchronous learning resources from home. Staff will be available virtually to students during the regular school day hours. Students should visit their respective virtual classrooms,” the school board says.

When it comes to the decision to cancel buses, the school board will consult with Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR).

A more detailed breakdown of the boards’ severe weather procedure is available here.

WATERLOO CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

Earlier this year, the WCDSB switched to remote learning when inclement weather closed its schools.

The school board did not immediately reply to CTV News Kitchener when asked to confirm if this is still the operational procedure.

WELLINGTON CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

In the event of a school closure, students may be switched to online learning.

“Parents will know if their child will be learning remotely or will have the day off first thing from the first communication letting them know that the school is closed. If they are to do online learning, the learning activities will be posted by 10:30.,” the board’s communications team told CTV News.

When school buses are cancelled, schools remain open unless otherwise communicated. Parents should check local conditions to determine if they can safely drop their children off at school and pick them up at the end of the school day.

UPPER GRAND DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

When schools and board sites are closed to staff and students due to incidences such as weather closures, the school board will shift to remote learning where possible.

“Staff should not report to work in person and should shift to remote working where possible,” the school board’s inclement weather page says. “Remote activities for the day may include teachers posting activities to Google Classrooms, which can be accessed by students.”

The school board says staff are prepared to pivot to remote learning when necessary.

In the event buses are cancelled, but schools are open, the board recommends parents do their own safety assessment and determine if they want to send their children to school.

If the roads are too hazardous, a decision will be made and schools will be closed.

HALTON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

When buses and schools are closed, the students of the Halton District School Board (HDSB) will not pivot to remote learning.

“When schools are closed due to inclement weather, both in-person and virtual schools will be closed, and remote learning will not be provided. This is to ensure student and staff safety and to continue to provide an equitable learning experience for all students,” the board says.

In case of inclement weather, the decision to close schools and/or cancel buses will be communicated beginning at 6:30 a.m.

Parents who bring their children to school when buses are cancelled must make arrangements to pick them up at dismissal time.

GRAND ERIE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

When inclement weather halts bussing operations, the GEDSB will either close all of Grand Erie schools or conduct closures by zone.

Grand Erie has four zones: Norfolk County (Zone 1), Haldimand County (Zone 2), Brant County (Zone 3) and the City of Brantford (Zone 4).

Grand Erie students from Six Nations of the Grand River and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation are included in Zone 2. In the event of transportation cancellations, schools are closed to all students and staff.

If the schools are closed, the students affected will switch to an optional remote learning day.

“Where possible, impacted students will be provided with asynchronous learning on inclement weather days,” said JoAnna Roberto, director of education in a news release. “These learning opportunities are optional and will provide students with an opportunity to support the continuity of their learning when schools are closed.”