The Halton District School Board (HDSB) has announced that if a deal is not reached between the province and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) by the end of the day on Nov. 3, then elementary schools in Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills, and Oakville will begin a schedule of alternating in-person and remote school days beginning on Nov. 4.
Only custodial staff are represented by CUPE in HDSB; educational assistants, school support staff, and early childhood educators are not. This means that the alternating school schedule will allow for plans to address cleanliness of schools, though the board warns that if they find that schools are unable to support the in-person learning days, parents and guardians will be notified as soon as possible.
HDSB will allow students with significant special education needs to continue in-person learning each day. Transportation and before- and after-school care programs will also continue as normal on in-person learning days.
Parents and guardians are asked to pack “boomerang” lunches: that is, for any packaging and food waste to come back home to be placed in the garbage or recycling.
Halton secondary school students (grades 9 to 12, as well as grade 7 to 12 schools) will continue with in-person learning each day, as contract custodial services are allowed to be used in secondary schools under the current contract.
If the strike action occurs, Friday, Nov. 4 will be an in-person learning day for elementary students; Monday, Nov. 7 will be remote.
