Teacher's strike???

[Wonderwiper]

Hi! I was just wondering if any of you in Ontario that have open spaces are offering emergency care for the one day strikes?? If so, did you charge a premium, what info do you get from parents etc.? I put up an ad saying I was currently closed but could be available if needed and had a few responses (none seemed serious though). There would not be time to actually meet in advance as the strike hits my region on Tuesday!

[Dreamalittledream]

Hi! I was just wondering if any of you in Ontario that have open spaces are offering emergency care for the one day strikes?? If so, did you charge a premium, what info do you get from parents etc.? I put up an ad saying I was currently closed but could be available if needed and had a few responses (none seemed serious though). There would not be time to actually meet in advance as the strike hits my region on Tuesday!
My son's school sent a note home about it, stressing that irregardless of the walkout the school would still remain open for students (albeit not a day of formal education; more just activities in the gym). They did request in the same note that parents do tick off the form & return as to whether the child would or would not be in attendance. So, if other schools are doing the same and remaining open, that could be why you're not getting (serious) responses?

[Wonderwiper]

Hi dream....I'm glad the schools are open!!! I only posted because I thought maybe it might be hard for some parents to get time off so close to Christmas and thought I could help! By serious inquiries I meant people have emailed saying things like, I need a spot....with no other info, so assume they are not looking! Thanks for letting me know....I am enjoying my time off, ha ha!!!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Think it might depend on the school boards and specific schools - in my home town they are closed and parents have been told to find alternate care ... I have a spot that one of my old friends is returning to for the day as the wee sibling is here so I am excited to have her this week ;)

[bright sparks]

It does depend on the individual school boards and not every school board in Ontario is striking either. My kids school board had their walk out last Tuesday and parents were told that their would be no teachers to supervise the children so to keep them at home.

I would be asking who was going to watch the kids all day without teachers there and also I don't want my child cooped up in the school gym all day.

[Momof4]

Our city has announced a strike day on Thursday and I'm happy that my grandson is coming to use an empty space that just came available in my daycare when my little girl with a Mom on mat leave left on Friday. But I don't charge my daughter anything so I'm not seeing dollar signs.

[Mamma_Mia]

My kiddies go to Catholic school so I have no worried there.....

[Dreamalittledream]

I would be asking who was going to watch the kids all day without teachers there and also I don't want my child cooped up in the school gym all day.
Yes, for sure! But some people just have no choice but to send them...kind of like on snow days when parents drive their kids to school anyway;). Remember that the strike does not include all of the E.A.'s., so they will likely be the ones supervising.

[bright sparks]

Hmmm, I would imagine in a case like this that is so well know across the province that employers would understand, or at least get over it as this is effecting everyone and not simply a choice of whether to drive in inclement weather or not. No amount of EA's IME are present in a school to meet legal ratio's. It also isn't their job to handle large groups. How can they be expected to go in and deal with it under much lower wages and working conditions while the teachers get to have their walk out because they aren't happy with their working conditions??? Then it's going to be a case of getting parent volunteers in to make the numbers up but they would all need to be screened. I think the safest thing for the kids is to keep them at home. Inconvenient for parent's and also the loss of money at this time of year is brutal, but a parent needs to choose between tightening the belt, or their childs safety and in light of recent incidents in schools, I would prefer to defer a mortgage or credit payment if it meant I new my children were absolutly safe and sufficiently supervised by teachers trained to do so.

How much money will have been lost as a result of their strike. How much will it have cost all parent's of public elementary school student's, province wide, to take this day off? All I say is I hope it actually makes a difference otherwise what was the point??

[sunnydays]

My son attends French public school and there are no strikes in that board...so it is only the English board. I have to agree that i wouldn't be sending my kid to school knowing that htere are no teachers.

[Dreamalittledream]

We live just across from my son's school...and all of the buses were cancelled today (freezing rain). And yet, car after car of parents dropping off their children at school. Really? Is it really worth it to chance that drive? How very sad. My son could easily walk the short distance...and yet I never send him on snow days.

[Sandbox Sally]

It's the ETFO that's doing the rolling strikes. I don't understand who was doing the gym daycare at that school, but they shouldn't have been.

I am personally hoping that they go on strike, and soon. The situation needs to be resolved. Our kids are going without field trips and extracurricular activities, and the longer it goes unresolved, the worse it is for the kids.

Also, I like having my babies home with me. :) Oh, and more money. ;)