TORONTO -- The Toronto District School Board is warning parents to prepare for the possibility students may not return to the classroom after the winter break.
"As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Toronto, so too does the possibility of individual classes, schools or the system moving to remote learning for a period of time," the TDSB said in a letter to parents on Wednesday night.
The board said while they have no indication at this point a switch to remote learning will happen, they want parents to be prepared for any scenario.
"It is important to note that any decision on the closure of a school or the system is made based on the advice of public health officials or the provincial government and is not made by the TDSB," the board said.
Schools are currently scheduled to open on Jan. 4.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Ontario government sent a memo to all school boards in the province asking them to be prepared to switch to remote learning if it is deemed necessary.
Meanwhile, another Toronto school has been forced to close because of a COVID-19 outbreak.
The TDSB said Wednesday night that Nelson Mandela Park Public School, located in the Shutter and Sumach street area, will be closed until Jan. 4.
According to the TDSB website, there are three COVID-19 cases among staff and three among students.
The closure comes after parents expressed their concern about students from Island Public School potentially being moved to Nelson Mandela Park Public School.
The move was being considered because students who attend school on the island are having issues getting to class because of ferry restrictions.
Nelson Mandela Park Public School acts as the emergency evacuation site for Island Public School and took in students when the island flooded last year.
If approved, the merge between the schools would take place in January.
There are 12 TDSB schools that are currently closed due to COVID-19, including Nelson Mandela Park Public School.
