Most Toronto schools will reopen for in-person learning Wednesday
Toronto’s two biggest schools boards will reopen for in-person learning tomorrow following a massive winter storm that kept its buildings shuttered for an additional two days.
The Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon.
The TDSB cited the “significant progress” the city has made in clearing major roads and side streets as the primary factor in its decision.
The board also noted that the “vast majority” of its schools have now been plowed, with that work expected to continue into tomorrow morning.
“While delays are still possible, students and staff will more easily be able to travel to schools/sites given significant plowing operations underway in the GTA,” the board said in a memo to parents.
Schools were closed for in-person learning for the first two weeks of January amid the spread of the Omicron variant.
They were initially supposed to reopen on Monday but a major winter storm that dumped 36 centimetres of snow on the city interrupted those plans.
On Tuesday boards across the GTA were closed for a second straight day as the cleanup from the storm continued.
Some boards offered remote learning but the TDSB abandoned plans to do so after staff found that it "didn't go over well" on Monday, according to spokesperson Ryan Bird.
The Toronto Student Transportation Group said school buses will be running, but that there may be delays as some buses and yards are still being cleared. It advised families to check for possible delays in the morning.
The York Region District School Board said Tuesday evening that it is also “looking forward to welcoming students back to class tomorrow.”
The Peel District School Board and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board said in-person learning will resume for those registered for that option Wednesday.
Halton District School Board said kids in its system will return to in-person learning as well.
In a tweet, Durham District School Board said “we anticipate that schools will be open,” but advised that there could be delays in getting to schools. The Durham Catholic District School Board said that it is “optimistic” schools will reopen Wednesday, but said it will advise families as it gets more information.
Lecce and Moore release open letter to parents
Tomorrow will mark the first day that public school students in Toronto are able to partake in in-person classes since Dec. 21.
Ahead of the broader return for students across most of Ontario, Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore released a joint letter to parents outlining some of the steps the government is taking to ensure a safe return to school, including the distribution of 3.9 million rapid antigen tests to school boards this week.
Lecce and Moore also said that some parents will receive a form in the coming days offering them the opportunity to have their children vaccinated at a school-based clinic during instructional hours.
Those “targeted clinics” are taking place at select schools chosen by public health units.
“We are taking nothing for granted,” the letter states. “Health and safety in our schools and child care settings remains a top priority and we continue to monitor to ensure that every precaution is taken to protect children, students and staff and to keep our schools and child care setting as safe as they can be.”
The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board has said that all of its schools in Clarington will be closed for a third straight day on Wednesday as the cleanup from the storm continues.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole Porsche and ran over its owner
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Woman shot by B.C. police was Colombian refugee with young daughter, advocate says
Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.
3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area mosque
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Kamala Harris tells Oprah any intruder to her home is 'getting shot'
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday issued a warning to any potential home intruder: 'If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot.'
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
On the trail of the mystery woman whose company licensed exploding pagers
What Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, the Italian-Hungarian CEO and owner of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, says she hasn't done is make the exploding pagers that killed 12 people and wounded more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Video released of person of interest after cat is allegedly set on fire in Orillia, Ont.
Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.