GUELPH -- It was déjà vu for thousands of kids on Monday who were forced to learn from home because of messy winter weather.

While students in some school boards dealt with cancelled buses and closed schools, it wasn't the same for everyone.

In Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, some schools are open and others closed. Both public and Catholic elementary school boards kept schools open for students who can walk or find their own ride in.

The Upper Grand District School Board sent a note to parents on Monday morning, saying that all public high schools were closed and that students would be learning from home.

In zones one and two—which include South and Centre Wellington, Guelph, Puslinch, Erin and Rockwood—elementary schools were open but buses were cancelled.

In zones three and four, which include North Wellington and Dufferin County, schools are closed for elementary students, but online learning will take place.

The reason for the full closure in those zones, the school board said, was in part due to concern for staff making it in to school safely.

"With COVID-19 restrictions around limiting contacts and gatherings, we are unable to combine classes or groups to provide for adequate and safe supervision of students on no-bus days," a spokesperson for the board said.

"We surveyed all of our schools and looked back at the historical data, to look at what happens on a bus cancellation day in these different divisions and how many staff are usually able to get to work safely versus those who can't do the road conditions," said Heather Loney with the UGDSB.

Students will stay in their cohorts at those schools, but no new lessons will begin.

"We do know that not all students will be able to participate in that remote learning on those no-bus days," Loney said. "We don't want anyone falling behind."

The public and Catholic school boards in Waterloo Region, meanwhile, announced that all buses and schools were closed for the day. Students were learning online instead.

The Waterloo Region District School Board said in the past, attendance on snow days meant mixing classrooms.

"This year, students are placed into cohorts and do not mix with students outside of their cohort to reduce the number of social contacts during the school day," a statement from the school board said in part. "As a result, we cannot combine classrooms."

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board said it's also following pandemic protocols by not mixing student groups.