Weather Warnings for Waterloo Region

Posted June 10, 2015

Update 9:30pm: All weather watches and warnings for Waterloo Region have been lifted.   All schools have been notified of the weather watches and warnings currently in place for Waterloo Region. Our priority is always the safety of our students and staff. Administrators are directed to follow the procedure for tornado conditions. We will keep […]

Have your say in the 2015-16 Budget Process!

Posted May 28, 2015

How can you give input? Appear as a delegation at the June 10, 2015 Special Committee of the Whole Meeting. If you would like to appear as a delegation, you must register with the Manager of Corporate Services by noon on Thursday, June 4 2015. More information on delegation procedures and how to register is […]

Paralympic Schools Week 2015 resources now available

Posted May 11, 2015

This message is on behalf of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. — OTTAWA – Feb. 26, 2015 – The Canadian Paralympic Committee, in partnership with Petro-Canada, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2015 edition of Paralympic Schools Week, which will be held nation-wide from May 4 to 8, 2015. All schools […]

The 2015-16 School Year Calendar is Here!

Posted May 8, 2015

The 2015-16 school year calendar has been approved by the Ministry of Education. The first day of school for the 2015-16 school year is September 8, 2015.

View the Calendars:

Elementary
Secondary – Semestered Schools
Secondary – Waterloo-Oxford DSS

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Important Information from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Posted May 1, 2015

FOOD RECALL WARNING: SLICED APPLES Today the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a Food Recall Warning of sliced apples and products containing sliced apples from Sun Rich Fresh Food Incorporated. The recall applies to sliced apples and products containing sliced apples produced in the company’s Brampton, Ontario facility due to possible Listeria contamination. Please […]

School Climate Surveys Are Here!

Posted April 30, 2015

School climate surveys are important tools which help schools assess the current culture within a school. The survey captures perceptions from students, parents and staff relating to issues such as character development, equity and inclusion, safe schools, and variables that contribute to a healthy school environment. Please take the opportunity to complete the Safe Caring […]

Register Now for the PIC Family Event!

Posted April 1, 2015

Registration is now open for the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) Family Event ‘Building Skills to Navigate the School Years’, April 18, 2015, Bluevale Collegiate Institute. This FREE event is open to parents, guardians and the community. Keynote speaker, Lesley Andrews, will share with us her inspiring story of ‘overcoming the odds’ to follow her passion […]

New Pilot Funding Initiative for Schools

Posted March 23, 2015

The Waterloo Region District school board has partnered with My Class Needs, a not-for-profit foundation associated with Curriculum Services Canada, to offer a unique opportunity to support classroom teachers in securing additional resources to support student learning, well-being and achievement. The program provides grants for materials/services up to a maximum of $750 per class. To qualify, […]

Why were our schools closed Friday?

Posted February 23, 2015

The WRDSB has put in place a frigid temperature threshold in our severe weather procedure primarily for three reasons related to the safety of our students:

1. According to Environment Canada, at -35C exposed skin can freeze within 10 minutes. Environment Canada indicates that in temperatures between -28 to -39 there is a high risk of exposed skin freezing (frostnip or frostbite). This temperature is very unusual for our region and some students may not have the appropriate clothing to protect themselves.

2. Most students will take longer than 10 minutes to walk to school and the bused students may wait for an extended period of time should any bus be delayed.

3. We are unable to guarantee crossing guard service to our students as individual crossing guards have a right to maintain their safety given that they are exposed for extended periods of time in frigid temperatures.

The Education Centre remains open and is fully operational.

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When do Schools Close Due to Weather?

Posted February 19, 2015

Our procedure for severe weather  provides guidelines and expectations for school closings due to severe weather, and how this information is communicated to our families.

Severe weather refers to conditions such as ice, fog, rain, sleet, snow, wind and/or frigid temperatures and wind chills. We consider a frigid temperature to be -35C with wind chill, or colder.

The general manager of Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) will monitor weather and temperatures in the region beginning at 5:30am, using Environment Canada’s wind chill index. If the temperature is forecasted to reach or exceed -35C with wind chill at 7:00am, buses will not operate and schools will be closed. The education centre will be open to those employees who can safely arrive to work.

How do we communicate cancellations or closures?

Decisions relating to cancellations and closures are made by 6:00am. Any cancellations and closures will be posted on our website and school websites. Information will also be available on our twitter account (@wrdsb). We encourage you to monitor our website and listen to local media for up-to-date cancellation and closures.

Parents have the option of keeping their children at home when concerned about weather conditions.

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