Attendance 'slightly lower' Friday says TVDSB
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It was not business as usual Friday at Ontario’s public elementary schools.
In a decision reached around 3:30 a.m. Friday, the province’s labour board ruled that a one-day job action planned by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) was illegal.
Sam Hammond, the president of the ETFO, said his union’s members would comply with the board’s decision, meaning elementary schools across Ontario were open Friday.
“We will be directing our members to report to work (Friday),” he told reporters in the wake of the early morning decision.
The EFTO had announced the planned one-day walkout on Wednesday, leaving some parents scrambling to find alternate child-care arrangements for Friday. The provincial government turned to the labour board, saying the protest was, in fact, a strike, which is prohibited under Bill 115, an opinion that was upheld.
Tillsonburg Annandale School Principal Nick Karalis said things were ‘good,’ all things considered.
“We’re missing quite a chunk of our population,” he said late Friday morning. “All-in-all, we’re here, we’re here,” said Karalis. “And teachers are here – all of them.”
People were ‘confused,’ said Karalis.
Letters went home to parents earlier in the week indicating there would be no school Friday, in light of the planned EFTO job action. Following the province’s announcement it would seek a ‘seek and desist’ order through the labour board Thursday morning, additional letters attempting to update parents were subsequently sent out (see sidebar).
The labour board decision’s early-morning arrival Friday meant a compressed timeline for communication of its content and the fact schools would be open to parents and caregivers.
“Parents have been very good,” Karalis continued, noting a ‘large percentage’ have contacted the school, regarding their children’s absence.
“Many of them had made previous arrangements.”
Although mindful of unusual circumstances, school staff made efforts to contact all absentees’ caregivers as part of the safe arrival process, said Karalis.
Thames Valley District School Board Public Affairs Coordinator Richard Hoffman forwarded an email stating the board’s research and assessment department indicated that "attendance is slightly lower," for Friday, January 11, than the previous Friday that was a school day (December 21, 2012).
Hoffman said the board’s approach had essentially been to treat Friday as a form of snow day.
He clarified letters went out earlier in the week, alerting parents and caregivers the potential for a walkout Friday would mean no school on that day. Additional letters were sent out subsequently, Hoffman continued, with updates based on the labour board hearing and its potential ramifications.
“The letter said there would be no school if there was a lockout,” he clarified.
Based on opposing outcomes from potentially alternate labour board decisions, the board attempted to retain flexibility.
“Essentially, we treated it like we would a snow day,” said Hoffman, an approach that allowed for an update and final decision as late as 6 a.m. Friday. “It’s hard to deal with it any other way.”
Senior board administration was up at 4 a.m. said Hoffman, conferring, and then as soon as the labour board’s decision was rendered, TVDSB staff began the process of updating and disseminating information through various electronic means between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. on the fact schools would in fact be open. The media’s role in helping spread the word was appreciated, Hoffman added.
Grand Erie elementary teachers were in the classroom Friday as well. Rita Collver, chair of the Grand Erie board, said word was sent out to parents via e-mail and through the media at about 5:30 a.m. informing them that schools would be open.
Many parents had already made alternate arrangements for their children after the board sent home letters with students on Thursday informing them that schools would be closed today.
Collver said the situation has been disruptive and confusing.
“We would like to thank parents and families. This process has not been easy on them and we understand their frustration.”
Donna Howey, local president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, called the labour relations board's decision disappointing, but said the union is following the ruling.
At the same time, the union representing Ontario's public high school teachers has told Premier Dalton McGuinty its members won't hold a one-day walkout next week as originally planned.