THUNDER BAY — The Lakehead District School Board says it will close all its high schools and elementary schools on Wednesday, Dec. 4 if the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation goes ahead with a one-day strike.
The Thunder Bay Catholic board says it may have to do the same.
Although the OSSTF has scheduled a province-wide walkout that day, bargaining on a new collective agreement with the government is supposed to resume this weekend.
The Lakehead board issued a statement Friday noting that the OSSTF represents more than just high school teachers in the city.
It also bargains for early childhood educators, student support professionals (formerly known as education assistants), and adult and continuing education teachers.
Accordingly, all schools in the system as well as the Lakehead Adult Education Centre will be closed should the one-day strike proceed, but all daycares located in elementary schools will remain open.
A strike will also force the cancellation of all field trips, all transportation, all before-school and after-school programs, and all sports and co-curricular activities scheduled for before-school and after-school hours.
The board statement urged parents and guardians to monitor the news, the Lakehead Public Schools website and social media.
Catholic school board advises of 'possible' school closures
The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board posted a notice Friday on social media advising parents and students "to prepare" for possible school closures affecting JK to Grade 12 next Wednesday.
The OSSTF represents early childhood educators, student support persons and attendance counsellors in the separate school system.
If OSSTF walks out on Dec. 4, "it may be necessary to close our schools. This would likely affect our elementary, senior elementary and high schools," the post stated.
"We are asking parents and guardians of our students to arrange care for their child as a contingency plan," it added.
The Catholic board said it will provide updates but remains hopeful the walkout will be avoided by a negotiated settlement before Wednesday.
