Waterloo's Elizabeth Ziegler Public School closed for the rest of the year
Waterloo's Elizabeth Ziegler Public School is closing down for the rest of the year after an assessment by a structural engineering firm said work to make the building safe enough for learning would take months to complete.
The school originally shut down on March 4 after safety concerns were raised about the building's facade. The closure was extended twice, with students expected to go back on April 1.
On Friday, Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) sent out a release announcing the full closure.
"Based on the current assessment by the structural engineering firm retained by the board, we are not able to occupy any part of the Elizabeth Ziegler PS building," the release said.
"Addressing these concerns will take time and the engineers estimate this work could take months to complete. This is a result of the mechanical and electrical connections that run throughout the building, as well as the large pieces of precast concrete and monuments that need to be carefully removed during the repair process," the release continued.
In the meantime, students and families are being asked to pick up a Chromebook or iPad at the school on Monday to help to continue learning remotely.
The board said it is adding additional portables that have "already started arriving at the school, with more portables scheduled to arrive over the next few days."
However, only 12 portables are allowed on the property, which will not accommodate the more than 500 Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 students and the staff who attend the school.
"Alternative spaces that support the needs of students in surrounding public schools are limited and a thorough planning process is on-going to accommodate all students in-person," the release said.
The plan remains to have students return to in-person learning on April 1, but it's unclear where exactly they'll be.
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