The Rainbow District School Board has announced classes are cancelled for its elementary students Tuesday, Feb. 4 and Thursday, Feb. 6 due to job action by members of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO).
The ETFO is holding one-day, rotating strikes at all boards across the province next week, affecting the Rainbow board Tuesday, and is also holding a provincewide strike Thursday.
The Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association has also announced its members are holding a provincewide, one-day strike Tuesday, Feb. 4.
There could be some good news on the horizon, however, as the ETFO has announced it will return to the bargaining table with the province Jan. 29.
In the meantime, however, the Rainbow board has announced all classes from Kindergarten to Grade 8 in Rainbow Schools in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin Island will be cancelled on both days, including Grade 7 and 8 classes at Chelmsford Valley District Composite School, Confederation Secondary School, Lively District Secondary School and Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School.
Classes will also be cancelled at Jean Hanson Public School, the Children's Treatment Centre (CTC), the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program (CAMHP), the Applied Behaviour Analysis Program (ABA) at the Ruth MacMillan Centre, the Northern Support Initiative (NSI) Program at the Ruth MacMillan Centre, and the Simulated Healthy Independent Living Opportunities Program (SHILO) on Gill Street. This includes secondary school aged students who attend these programs which are taught by ETFO members.
Transportation is cancelled for all affected students.
Schools remain open for childcare, before and after school programs, and community use.
It is important that affected parents/guardians make alternative arrangements for the care of their children, said a press release.
Parents/guardians will not be able to send their children to school on Tuesday, Feb. 4 and Thursday, Feb. 6.
Classes will resume on Wednesday, Feb. 5, and Friday, Feb. 7.
“Rainbow District School Board thanks parents/guardians and students for their ongoing patience and understanding,” said a press release from the board.
