The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board says no decision has been made about shifting to complete online learning after the Christmas holidays amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Global News Peterborough inquired after receiving a copy of a letter from CUPE Local 5555 president Ron Maguire sent to the local’s members on Wednesday night. The letter states all the board’s schools are to “go to 100% online learning after the Christmas holidays.”
The local represents more than 1,800 education workers at the board’s 93 schools — representing 140 job titles including secretaries, custodians, maintenance, early childhood educators, educational assistants and IT.
“What this looks like for CUPE members is still up in the air and anyone’s guess,” the letter reads.
However, Greg Kidd, the school board’s manager of corporate affairs, says that the information in the union letter was “incorrect.”
“Late yesterday afternoon, the Ministry of Education reminded all school boards of the need to be prepared should they need, but nothing further than that,” Kidd said on Thursday morning.
“I understand some incorrect information may be floating around out there but we have reaffirmed that message with our staff this morning.”
Maguire on Thursday morning tells Global News Peterborough that he sent out a “revised update” to the local’s members after speaking “in-depth” with the employer.
He said his initial letter was sent following news reports Wednesday including one he says claimed all school boards in Ontario were going to online learning. Maguire admits he “made a decision to send something against my better judgement.”
“The employer is to send their official memo today, however, the correct information is that they have been directed to ‘prepare for online learning.’,” the revised letter reads.
That official memo was sent to parents Thursday afternoon.
IT advises parents to ensure schools have correct email addresses and contact information and to ensure children bring home all personal belongings and learning materials they may need, should schools be closed.
“We’re aware of the letter that went out. (from CUPE),” board chair Diane Lloyd said. “It was an error on their part and they’ve been good to retract it. Right now, the Ministry of Education has asked us to be prepared for an extension to the break, but no decision has been made.”
Lloyd said if schools are closed, students will transition back to online learning.
“We will still be providing education to our students, even if we don’t go back at the same time. It will be online, of course, if we’re shutdown. It will be a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning,” she said.
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Synchronous learning is real-time teaching when students and teacher are connected live, while asynchronous education would involve online posting of resources that can be completed by the student at any time.
As of Thursday morning, the school board was reporting 13 active cases of COVID-19 (10 students, three staff) at 10 of its schools. The school board serves Peterborough, Peterborough County, Northumberland County and the Municipality of Clarington.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Peterborough Public Health reported 24 active COVID-19 cases among 257 cases reported since the pandemic was declared.
Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Catholic District School Board
The PVNCDSB says it passed along information from the Ministry of Education to its schools’ principals to share with staff to prepare to leave Friday with materials and technology that they would require for “any scenario” heading into the holiday break.
“We are planning to return to in-person learning following the break on Jan. 4 as planned and have not been directed otherwise at this point,” said Galen Eagle, the school board’s communications manger. “Since September, we have been continuing to work with educators to increase our Board capacity for blended learning, so we are in a good position to transition from classroom learning to online learning systemwide should the need arise.”
The school board has three active cases of COVID-19 (all students), the school board reported Thursday afternoon — two at schools in Bowmanville and one at a school in Courtice. The board has had 12 cases total since the pandemic was declared.
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