School Closures Have Been Announced For The Second Day In A Row All Around The GTA

Well, it looks like some students who were supposed to "return" to in-person learning this week just got their second snow day in a row now that several school boards have said they'll remain closed on Tuesday.

In a letter obtained by Narcity, the Director of Education for the Toronto District School Board alerted staff that they won't be hosting in-person or remote classes on Tuesday, January 18 as the City of Toronto declared a major snowstorm condition last night.

On top of the treacherous wintry conditions, the TDSB has a number of concerns.

School bus operators say they'll face some issues and could get hit with delays or cancellations, and snowplows won't be finished clearing the school grounds on time.

"We know that staff, who live across the GTA, may not be able to make it into school safely, which would require mixing of classes and cohorts which should be avoided, if possible, given ongoing COVID-19 safety measures," the letter reads.

And, lastly, there are 36 TDSB schools that need to have the piles of snow removed from their roofs before kids can make it back to class, which apparently hasn't been completed due to road and weather conditions.

"With all of this in mind, we have made the decision to close all schools to in-person learning for Tuesday, January 18. Students will not participate in live remote or virtual learning," the letter reads.

"Where possible, teachers will provide voluntary class work through established online platforms for students who wish to continue their learning. Students may also work on previously-assigned work or spend time reviewing material previously covered."

On Monday, January 17, schools across Ontario were set to open up for in-person learning again after a couple of weeks of remote classes but were instead thwarted by the mountains of snow that got dumped on the province.

Here is a list of schools around Toronto and the GTA that are closed for in-person learning on Tuesday, January 18:

• York Region District School Board, in-person closed but remote learning open
• Toronto Catholic District School Board, in-person closed, students can learn at home (on their own)
• Peel District School Board, in-person closed but remote learning open (on their own or with teachers)
• Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board, in-person closed but remote learning open
• York Catholic School Board, in-person closed but remote learning open
• Halton District School Board, in-person and remote learning closed
• Durham District School Board, in-person and remote learning closed for elementary students but remote learning open for high schoolers

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.