KITCHENER -- Elementary students attending Catholic school in Waterloo Region won't be able to change their learning mode until January.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board decided at a board meeting on Monday night to eliminate a transition window in November, meaning the next available switch dates will be in January.

The proposal at the board meeting said transitions resulted in a lot of disruption.

Patrick Etmanski, local president of the Ontario Elementary Catholic Teachers Association, said he is happy with the decision to eliminate the November date.

Last month, more than 700 elementary students shifted from in-person to online classes.

The WCDSB just wrapped up a transition survey for secondary students, which was open from Oct. 19 to 21.

St. Isidore, the school board’s online school, still needs 15 secondary teachers to handle the increase in students moving online.