English public high schools in Cochrane and Timiskaming Districts aren’t losing class time to no-bus days anymore. Classes move online, as they were when schools were closed because of the pandemic.
An estimated 70% of students in the nine schools rely on school bus transportation. DSB-1 director Lesleigh Dye says on average, there are 15 inclement weather days a year.
“So we decided as a senior team — and we sought some input from our schools – because we’ve learned so much about distance or virtual learning,” she explains, that we would move to a synchronous learning day.”
Students are at home; staff has the option of staying home; and classes continue. Dye says it’s much more equitable in terms of access to learning.
“And in our strategic plan,” says the director, “we define equity as anticipating, identifying and working to remove barriers. So we really see this as removing a barrier for students.”
