Portables arrive at Waterloo's Elizabeth Ziegler Public School as in-person learning set to resume

Portable classrooms will be added to the property at Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo and the school board says it hopes in-person learning could resume as early as this Friday.

The Kindergarten to Grade 6 school was closed on March 4 due to safety concerns about the building's facade. On Friday, the Waterloo Region District School Board said that based on a structural engineering firm's assessment, "we are not able to occupy any part of the Elizabeth Ziegler PS building."

"Addressing these concerns will take time and the engineers estimate this work could take months to complete," the board said.

On Monday afternoon, the board revealed plans to get over 500 students and staff back to in-person learning. Most students will remain on the school's property, but will be in portable classrooms. Some students will need to go to other schools.

Here's the breakdown of where students will be going:

• English stream students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 and extended day programs will remain at the school's property in portable classrooms.
• French immersion students will moved to Sandowne Public School.
• Congregated Alternative Continuum of Education (or ACE) Program students will be moved to JW Gerth Public School.
• Students who are part of the enrichment program will be moved to Brigadoon Public School.

The board says seven additional portables are being moved onto the school property. As well, there will be two washroom and two office trailers at the site.

LISTEN | Scott Miller, director of education for WRDSB, provides update on Elizabeth Ziegler Public School:

The Morning Edition - K-W9:51Director of education for WRDSB provides update on Elizabeth Ziegler Public School

A Waterloo public school is closed for the rest of the year because of safety concerns with the building. Parents have a lot of questions. Scott Miller, the school board's director of education, provides some answers on the status of the school.

All of the French immersion students are being moved to Sandowne Public School to keep them together.

"It ensures that teacher-student relationships will be maintained. This provides continuity and was deemed a priority in supporting this transition," the board said.

Two portables will be added to Sandowne Public School to accommodate these students.

"The students and staff moving to Sandowne PS will operate using the 'school within a school' model. It allows the students and staff to remain part of the Elizabeth Ziegler school community," the board said.

When it comes to transportation:

• French immersion students will be bused to Sandowne from Elizabeth Ziegler in the morning, and from Sandowne to Elizabeth Ziegler in the afternoons. 
• ACE Program students will be bussed from their homes to JW Gerth Public School.
• Congregated enrichment students will be bussed from their homes to Brigadoon Public School.

In all cases, the board says transportation times are still being finalized.