COVID-19: Princess Elizabeth P.S. in London, Ont. closes to in-person learning | Globalnews.ca

The Thames Valley District School Board says Princess Elizabeth Public School in London, Ont., is closed to in-person learning due to “operational concerns related to staffing issues.”

A statement from the board did not explicitly state the reason for the staffing issues. Additionally, while the province began reporting school closures and absenteeism rates due to COVID-19 on Monday, there was no data listed at all for Princess Elizabeth P.S. as of 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The TVDSB announced just before 8 p.m. Monday that the school at Thompson Road and Adelaide Street South would be closed as of Tuesday, with the closure lasting until at least the following Monday, Jan. 31.

“Classroom teachers will contact families to coordinate synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities,” the board said in a brief statement.

“Thames Valley understands this is a challenging time for families and staff and TVDSB is available to provide support.”

The board then highlighted mental health and well-being resources available on its website.

A Facebook post from the board announcing the decision drew many frustrated comments, with several pointing to the fact that the late notice would leave many parents and guardians scrambling on Tuesday morning.

This is the second time in as many months that Princess Elizabeth has had to move to online learning.

The school closed Dec. 10 as a result of challenges posed due to quarantine requirements tied to an Omicron variant cluster.

At that time, it was expected the school would reopen Jan. 3 after the winter break, but the province later announced that schools would move online until Jan. 17.

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