On Wednesday, many parents woke up to find out that their child’s buses had been cancelled due to inclement weather. Now for the third day in a row, that remains the same.
FEB 4: School vehicles are CANCELLED for the day in ELGIN County. @TVDSB @LDCSB
Visit https://t.co/nvhAoKd0jp for a list of cancelled runs. pic.twitter.com/6IxmudAEx9
— Southwestern ON STS (@mybigyellowbus) February 4, 2022
These cancellations have impacted several different school boards across the region, including the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), who notified parents of a new “inclement weather update” for the year. Stating that in the event of bus cancellations, students will move to online learning.
Lori-Ann Pizzolato, TVDSB Chair of the Board and Trustee for Wards 1, 11, 12, 14, says that these requirements coincide with the board’s “Do No Harm” policy.
“Our number one priority is student and staff safety and to provide a safe environment.”
But according to Pizzolato, staff shortages caused by COVID-19 in combination with those now caused by inclement weather is what’s resulted in the new update.
“We want to make sure there’s enough supervision,” says Pizzolato. “We decided to close the schools because when there’s not enough supervision, it’s not safe for students.”
But after three straight days of bus cancellations for the school board, Pizzolato says they’ve received some feedback from frustrated parents regarding the new change.
“We’re doing the best we can during this time and we ask for their patience and understanding. We’re doing our best with what we have.”
While the “short turnaround time” is one of the biggest challenges for families, Pizzolato adds that “having done virtual learning for two years has left us very fortunate in these circumstances.”
Saying that “it takes a village to raise our kids. So we ask for your flexibility and we know that it’s frustrating. But we have to make sure roads, areas, and schools are safe for our students and staff.”
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