February 20th, 2020

Hello Parents,

Here are this week’s updates:

1. OSSTF and ETFO Work Action Update – The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) and the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) announced that on February 21, 2020, their members will engage in a full withdrawal of services (strike-action) across the province.

In WRDSB, OSSTF represents secondary school teachers as well as a number of other education workers. Education workers include our school secretaries, custodial maintenance staff that work in all of our schools, and our Education Centre staff. OSSTF represents the following groups: Secondary Teachers and Occasional Teachers (TBU), Custodial and Maintenance (CAMA), Educational Support Staff (ESS), Professional Student Services Personnel (PSSP), and Supervision Monitors and Cafeteria Assistants (SMACA).

ETFO represents elementary teachers, elementary occasional teachers and designated early childhood educators.

On February 21, 2020:

  • ALL SCHOOLS, both elementary and secondary will be closed to students.
  • ALL before and after school child care programs, extended day child care programs, EarlyON Centres and child care centres located in WRDSB schools will close.
  • ALL extracurricular activities scheduled for February 21, 2020, are cancelled.
  • All rental permits (community use of schools) are cancelled effective February 1, 2020, until further notice.

All schools will reopen and resume their regular routines on Monday, February 24, 2020.

As changes to job action can happen at any time, it is important to stay tuned and stay informed. For information updates please:

  • Visit our Labour website and subscribe to receive updates;
  • Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
  • Use the Labour Updates button on the WRDSB and school websites

2. End of Day Reminder – Please make sure you arrive on time to pick up your child(ren) at dismissal. Dismissal time is 3:20pm. If you are concerned that you cannot make it in time please call the office so we can inform the teachers. If you have not arrived once the second bell has gone at 3:35pm, the outdoor duty teachers will bring your child(ren) into the office at which point a call will be made home. As a safety measure, reviewing the procedures with your child(ren) as to what would happen if you did not arrive on time would be helpful. Please remind them that if they do not see you by the second dismissal bell at 3:35pm they are to find an outdoor duty teacher and go immediately to the office. They should not walk home on their own if this is not part of their normal dismissal routine.

All students have been reminded that they should not be playing on snow hills and/or equipment at the end of the day because we do not have supervision to ensure that students are safe when on the hills and equipment.

Parents…..if you would like to stay at the end of the day to let your children play, we ask that you and your children wait together and refrain from using the equipment or the hills until you hear the bell at 3:35. We really need those 15 minutes (3:20-3:35) to ensure that all students have been picked up and are safely on their way home. We thank you for your cooperation with this.

3. Pizza days for March – This is a reminder that there will be no pizza days for the month of March. Please send a full lunch with your child(ren) on Thursdays.

4. Hero Gems – Empathy is the capacity to take another person’s perspective and act with care and compassion. Modeling empathy and talking about it will help your child to understand empathy and consider the perspective of others.

5. Home Reading Incentive Program – Remember to encourage your child to keep reading every night! We will continue to have draws each month!

6. Stay Connected!

– Williamsburg Website – Keep Up to Date!

Follow any new posts that get added to the Williamsburg website by going to http://wlm.wrdsb.ca/, scroll to the bottom of the page and add your email address in the box under “Get News From This Website” and click Submit

-Twitter – Follow us on Twitter @wlmwrdsb

7. Upcoming Dates to Note:

  • February 24 – School Council Meeting – 6:00pm
  • March 13 – Beach Day
  • March 16-20 – March Break

Have a great week!

Categories: School News