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
LIVE B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.