Bluewater District School Board will be included in the next round of provincial strike action planned for Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

In Bluewater District School Board, OSSTF members include secondary teachers and education workers (educational assistants, early childhood educators, office professionals and technicians, and professional student services personnel).

On this date, OSSTF members will be participating in a one-day full withdrawal of services, which will significantly impact the operation of both our secondary and elementary schools. As there are many critically important functions performed by these various employee groups, a full withdrawal of services will impede our ability to ensure the safety and well-being of our students at all grade levels.

For this reason, we have determined that, unless a provincial collective agreement is reached by that time, ALL ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS in Bluewater District School Board will be closed to students on Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

Elementary extracurricular activities/events planned during the school day will be rescheduled, if possible. School based co-op placements will be cancelled, however, external placements will continue. There will be no bus transportation for Bluewater District School Board students. Before and after/extended day school programs will be cancelled. However, third party child care centres will remain open, and Community Education evening programs will continue to run.

All elementary and secondary schools will be open as usual to students, with regular classes and activities resuming on Thursday, January 16, 2020.

In the event of a provincial agreement being reached with OSSTF prior to Wednesday, January 15, 2020, all Bluewater District School Board schools will be open as usual on that day. 

source: media release, BWDSB