KITCHENER -- The provincial government has announced that publicly-funded schools won't reopen for the rest of the school year.
Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce made the announcement at a news conference on Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm just not going to risk it," Ford said. "Why chance it for a few weeks? It's just not worth it."
E-learning is expected to continue, however, and every student will get a report card this year.
That means parents will be helping their little ones learn from home for another month, news that's drawn mixed reactions from parents.
"It's protecting our children but at the same time their education is suffering," says Kirstin Conran, whose daughter is in Grade 4.
She says she's worried that her child is going to fall behind.
But other parents say they support the decision fully.
"Keep the kids safe is what it boils down to in my head," one parent told CTV.
As for the students, online learning isn't always easy.
Many of them are missing the normalcy of school: their friends, their teachers or their graduation.
"It really sucks because online school hasn't been very good," says Grade 8 student Aiden Cleaver.
I'm missing my graduation, which really sucks because I was looking forward to doing that."
The local school boards say they're working on creative ways to celebrate their students' achievements.
Both English school boards in Waterloo Region acknowledged the announcement, promising more information as it becomes available.
"We have no additional details at this time," the Waterloo Region District School Board said in a tweet on Tuesday. "We will update our #WRDSB community once we receive more information."
The Waterloo Catholic School Board also took to Twitter to inform parents of the news.
The WCDSB says it has been anticipating that schools wouldn't be reopening until September.
That's why the school board decided to send computer and internet access to those who needed it, providing 3,000 Chromebooks, 500 internet access devices and over 300 specialized devices for students with special needs.
A spokesperson says they're waiting on the province to provide guidance on summer learning programs, but in the meantime it will continue to offer its at-home processes.
The province says that students who were on track to graduate before the emergency order to close schools was given in March will still graduate, the province says.
During Tuesday's news conference, Lecce said that a decision about the start of the next school year will be made in June.
"We will never waver from our commitment to keep your child safe, while learning at home," Lecce is quoted in a news release from the province.
"Our plan will ensure students receive the best educational experience, both inside and outside the classroom, during this difficult time."
The government says that, based on current trends, day camps may be able to reopen in the summer. Overnight camps will stay closed through the season, though.
The decision to keep schools closed until September at the earliest is in contrast to the one made in Quebec, where schools have gradually begun to reopen in many areas, with strict COVID-19 guidelines.
In that province, there are a maximum of 15 students per classroom allowed in daycares and elementary schools in some areas.
