LDSB term one report cards affected by teachers’ unions job action

The recent job action being taken by teachers’ unions will have an impact on term one report cards for both elementary and secondary students in the Limestone District School Board (LDSB).

As members of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) are currently participating in legal job action across Ontario, students and parents within the LDSB should be prepared for some changes concerning term one report cards. The job action involves the withdrawal of administrative duties, as well as rotating one-day strikes, and the withdrawal of administrative duties will affect the issuing and contents of report cards.

Elementary schools within the board will not be issuing term one report cards for students in Kindergarten through grade eight. In secondary schools, report cards will be issued, but with marks only.

“As always, parents and guardians can contact their child’s teacher to discuss their progress and/or concerns,” Debra Rantz, Director of Education for the LDSB said in a statement.

“We know how important these reports are to families and students, but it’s also important to remember that report cards are not the sole record of achievement data for your child.”

Schools throughout the board will not be impacted by the rotating strikes and schools will be open on Monday, Jan. 27, and Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020. All classes will operate as scheduled for those days, and the board will be given five days’ notice should strike action be scheduled to take place within the board.

“It may be prudent for families to continue to make alternative arrangements for child care should rotating strikes occur in Limestone,” Rantz said.

Within the board, the OSSTF represents education workers including secondary school teachers, occasional teachers, professional student services personnel, and community education instructors. The ETFO represents all elementary teachers throughout the LDSB.

“We remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached soon at the central bargaining table between the province, the unions, and the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), which represents public school boards at the provincial table,” said Rantz.