By Times Staff

The Trillium Lakelands District School Board announced Friday morning the closure of all TLDSB schools starting Monday Oct. 7 in the event of a Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) strike.

"TLDSB has carefully assessed the potential impact on school operations and determined that student safety cannot be ensured" reads a press release on the TLDSB issued Oct. 4. "Therefore all TLDSB schools will be closed to students starting Monday Oct. 7 2019 until the end of the CUPE full withdrawal of services. This includes all elementary secondary and adult and alternate education centres.. Education centres in Lindsay and Bracebridge will remain open."

The school board notes that parents and guardians should make alternate child care arrangements for next week beginning Oct. 7 that children not be sent to school and to watch for notification from the school board of any changes to the situation prior to Monday morning. Parents do not need to call into safe arrival programs a system used to alert schools of student absences.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees which represents educational assistants custodial clerical and library staff gave notice on Wednesday for escalating from work-to-rule which began this week to a strike.

"The decision to close schools to students was very carefully considered" reads the TLDSB update. "CUPE staff in TLDSB school provide important work in our schools including support for students with special needs safe arrival programs water line flushing cleaning and maintenance of our buildings."

For further information including updates visit https://tldsb.ca/labour-updates/