DISTRICT – The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation has announced a province-wide one-day withdrawal of services on Wednesday, December 4, if no new contract is reached before then.

In the event of a one-day strike, District School Board Ontario North East said it will close all its schools, both elementary and secondary, on that day.

In a November 29 letter to families posted on the board’s website, board director of education Lesleigh wrote:

The Ontario Secondary School Teacher’s Federation (OSSTF) confirmed that they are engaging in a one-day full withdrawal of services on Wednesday, December 4th.

In District School Board Ontario North East (DSB1), OSSTF represents secondary Teachers, Child and Youth Workers, Early Childhood Educators, Educational Assistants, and Indigenous Student Advisors.

This withdrawal of services causes significant impact to our schools, including our capacity for effective supervision at the Elementary panel. As a result, DSB1 elementary and secondary schools will be closed to students on Wednesday, December 4th.

We wish to continue to support student learning through this labour action. We have prepared a list of resources that you and your child can access in the event of school closures.

To access the resources, visit www.dsb1.ca/Board/Pages/LabourUpdates.aspx#

We will continue to communicate with families and community partners throughout this process.

The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), who represents public school boards at the central bargaining table with OSSTF, will continue to work towards resolving this situation.

We are hopeful that a resolution will be reached before Wednesday. We thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time.