Updated 12:25 p.m. October 4, 2019-Schools of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board will be closed to students on Monday, October 7, 2019.
This is connected to provincial job action by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) which is in negotiations with the Ministry of Education and trustee associations.
In light of this provincial strike, all schools will be closed to students on Monday, October 7, 2019 and possibly longer.
This decision is being taken for safety and security reasons, and involved the following considerations:
- supervision and reporting student attendance;
- medical supports and care;
- safe operation of water and sanitation systems, including required water flushing;
- conditions of school buildings and classrooms; and
- overall safety and security.
In preparation for next week, parents/guardians are encouraged to make the necessary arrangements to support their family needs. If parents/guardians access child care services in HPEDSB schools, please take direction from your child care provider.
"I recognize that keeping your children home from school is incredibly disruptive. Job action, such as a full withdrawal of services, is part of the collective bargaining process," said Sean Monteith, Director of Education.
Staff who are not affected by the strike will be reporting to work; schools will be closed to students, not to staff.
"Even though people may have different viewpoints and perspectives, the people who are going on strike are not just staff, they're community members, they're family, they're friends and we engage with each other every day, in and out of school and work. We have to remember that the dust always settles and the relationships between one another will go on," added Monteith.
A letter will be going home with elementary students today and a voicemail message will be sent to phone numbers on file for secondary school students. Parent letter (Pdf)
It is important to point out that if a provincial agreement is reached over the weekend, schools will be open on Monday.
We will constantly be re-evaluating this situation today, over the weekend and every day in the coming days. Updates will be posted on the Labour Updates section of our website, on our Twitter account @HPEschools, and reported through local media.
For more information, please contact:
Kerry Donnell, Communications Manager, 613-966-1170 or 1 800 267-4350, extension 62354, [email protected]