Following a directive by the Ministry of Education, all publicly-funded schools will close for three weeks. This decision was made by the Ministry in consultation with the provincial medical officer of health and is in response to the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic.
All HPEDSB schools will be closed to all students, staff, community groups and the public from March 14 to April 5, 2020.
All decisions taken both provincially, and locally in HPEDSB are based on one premise: the safety of our students, staff, volunteers and families.
Consequently, HPEDSB is taking the following actions effective March 14 through to April 5, 2020 (unless otherwise noted):
- During March 16-20, 2020 extensive cleaning and disinfecting will be done at all schools. Contractors scheduled to work in schools during March Break will continue to do so. Following that, ALL SCHOOLS WILL BE LOCKED AND INACCESSIBLE FROM MARCH 21 TO APRIL 5, 2020. NO STAFF OR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER OUR SCHOOLS; THIS INCLUDES MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL STAFF. The only exception will management and supervisors checking school heating and controls systems. It is imperative that NO STAFF OR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS enter our schools from March 14 to April 5, 2020 inclusive.
- All schools and administrative buildings are closed to lease and permit holders, including all day child care, before and after school child care and EarlyON programs.
- All community use permits are cancelled.
- Any March Break camps scheduled to be hosted in our schools are cancelled.
- The Education Centre and administrative buildings will be closed to the public.
- The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) scheduled for March 31, 2020 is postponed until further notice. At this time we have no information as to whether there will be an opportunity to write the OSSLT at all this year.
- Further to the cancellation of international trips announced earlier this week, all school trips- day trips and extended/overnight trips- are cancelled until further notice. This includes any trips within or outside Ontario.
- All student co-op placements and dual credit programs are cancelled, during this shutdown, and will be re-evaluated once we return to school and normal work structures.
- The Centurion Hoops Basketball Program is postponed until further notice.
- All local negotiations are suspended until further notice.
The most current information we have about the novel coronavirus is posted to our COVID-19 page.
For more information, please contact:
Kerry Donnell, Communications Manager, 613.966.1170 or 1.800.267.4350, extension 62354, [email protected]