Upper Canada school board worried about future with permanent remote learning option

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is calling for consultation on the idea that remote learning can become a permanent fixture across Ontario.

The board says the pandemic created a great solution, but the idea that virtual learning for children becoming permanent is problematic.

“Our fear is that by making this a provincial system, that it will take students away from our rural high schools and it will be harder and harder for our schools to offer a full-fledged menu of courses for all students,” explained Valerie Allen, the director designate of the UCDSB.

She says this would have a cascading effect, as fewer students would mean fewer teachers, who often fill multiple roles.

“They are also the coaches for the sports teams, running the art club or helping with the yearbook. If we go to a remote model, the people running the courses may not be from our board.”

Allen says students would then be placed in a provincially-run course, thereby reducing the need for staff within the smaller schools.

“If it went too far, it would have a devastating effect on schools and the amount of students in it and potential closures down the road,” explained the director designate.

From her consultations in rural communities, one thing was consistently brought to Allen's attention: the importance of schools in the communities.

She's hoping that presentations to local municipalities will help bring awareness to the subject, as the closure of a school can have devastating consequences for a community, socially and financially.

“If there's no high school there, people may think twice about moving into the community.”