Staff shortages forces classroom closures at Ottawa's largest school board
Ottawa's largest school board says it's doing everything it can to find replacement staff, as staffing shortages result in classroom closures this school year.
Two classes at Roberta Bondar Public School in Ottawa's south end were closed on Thursday due to a lack of teachers, leaving parents and guardians scrambling to make accommodations for their children.
Since early November, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board has closed 173 classes due to a shortage of replacement staff.
Former Ottawa Public School Board Trustee Mark Fisher shared a letter from Roberta Bondar Public School on Twitter Wednesday night that informed parents of the classroom closures on Thursday.
"Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to secure enough replacement staff to cover all classes," the letter from the school said.
"Until we find enough replacement staff to support student learning and provide adequate supervision, we must close (classes) to in-person learning."
Fisher says her daughter was "disappointed" she wouldn't be in the classroom today.
"She wants to be in the classroom."
The school said asynchronous learning is available via Google Classroom for students.
In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board says two classes were closed at Roberta Bondar Public School on Thursday "due to the inability to replace absent staff."
The board says since November, there have been 173 classes across the city, which is down from 462 class closures between January and June 2022. Most classroom closures usually last a day, according to the OCDSB.
"Like other school boards in Ottawa and across the province, the OCDSB is currently experiencing staffing shortage challenges," the OCDSB said.
"While we will do everything we can to find replacement staff, we have had to temporarily cancel classes at schools in the past year. These closures typically last for a day."
The board says staff are working on a number of "immediate and long-term measures" to recruit more educators, including conducting 500 interviews for "occasional teacher" positions over the last month.
The board is also exploring arrangements for teachers to work at multiple schools and attending career fairs across Ontario.
Ontario's Ministry of Education has also changed the rules to allow retired teachers to spend more time in the classroom. A retiree may now work up to 95 days this school year without violating the pension rules, instead of the 50 days.
"We are hopeful this will increase availability of retired teachers in accepting replacement work," the OCDSB said.
The Ontario Teachers Federation announced the increase in employment days for retired employees on March 2. The temporary increase in the re-employment rule to 95 days covers retired teachers, principals and vice-principals in publicly funded schools or in a designated private school.
The 95-day work limit for retired teachers will be in effect until the end of the school year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.