February 20 – All Schools are Closed & Buses Cancelled

Due to frigid temperatures, all schools are closed today and all buses are cancelled. All Extended Day Programs are also closed. The Education Centre remains open for those who can safely arrive to work.

When do Schools Close Due to Weather?

Our procedure for severe weather  provides guidelines and expectations for school closings due to severe weather, and how this information is communicated to our families.

Severe weather refers to conditions such as ice, fog, rain, sleet, snow, wind and/or frigid temperatures and wind chills. We consider a frigid temperature to be -35C with wind chill, or colder.

The general manager of Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) will monitor weather and temperatures in the region beginning at 5:30am, using Environment Canada’s wind chill index. If the temperature is forecasted to reach or exceed -35C with wind chill at 7:00am, buses will not operate and schools will be closed. The education centre will be open to those employees who can safely arrive to work.

How do we communicate cancellations or closures?

Decisions relating to cancellations and closures are made by 6:00am. Any cancellations and closures will be posted on our website and school websites. Information will also be available on our twitter account (@wrdsb). We encourage you to monitor our website and listen to local media for up-to-date cancellation and closures.

Parents have the option of keeping their children at home when concerned about weather conditions.

Read more about When do Schools Close Due to Weather? »

Extreme weather conditions

Please make sure to listen to radio broadcasts for possible school closures. Environment Canada has issued an Extreme Cold Warning for our Waterloo Region today. In addition, it is expected to be extremely cold over the long weekend, so Region of Waterloo Public Health & Emergency Services has specified in the media release (below) that […]