Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) province-wide strike on Thursday

Dear ADSB Families of Elementary Students and LBS Students:

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) announced yesterday that it is escalating its rotating strikes the first week of February if central agreements are not reached. There will be a province-wide strike on Thursday, February 6th and for the Algoma district, another one-day strike (as part of the rotating strikes) on Friday, February 7th. Both of these days are a full withdrawal of services (otherwise known as a strike or walkout).

In the Algoma District School Board, this union represents all our Elementary and Adult Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) teaching staff, thus please be advised that all elementary schools, all Adult Literacy, and Basic Skills programs, all 7/8 programs in secondary schools as well as Superior Heights Community Education and Rockhaven school will be closed to students on Thursday, February 6th and Friday, February 7th, 2020. Students will return to class on Monday, February 10th. (These dates are in addition to the strike day on January 30th.)

This means that parents will be required to make alternate arrangements for their children on both February 6th and February 7th.

We also remind parents of the following:

• all third-party licensed Childcare Operators/Before & After Programs in ADSB will be permitted to remain open, however, please check with your childcare operator directly to confirm or for more information;
• all Community Use of Schools will continue;
• all Continuing Education and Adult Education Credit classes will continue;
• any scheduled School Council meetings or school-based meetings, activities and sports are cancelled.

We apologize for the inconvenience and trust you understand that we cannot operate our schools without appropriate staff. We remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached in the near future.