During a board meeting on Tuesday evening, CSSRS Director General Sylvain Racette emphasized that certain discussions still need to be refined, particularly with the Ministry of Agriculture. ‰Education (MEQ).
The plan is ready, assures Mr. Racette. However, the revelation is on hold as the MEQ has to provide further instructions to the CSSRS soon.
“It is certain that we will not send out our notices on Friday and go on spring break. Our employees are being furloughed. We don't want there to be no one to answer their questions. We want to make sure that when we provide information, we are also there to answer the questions.”
The plan could therefore be revealed “very early” after returning from the break week, he mentions.
Because information was still missing Tuesday evening, the item “Activities and oversight during the solar eclipse” was removed from the board meeting agenda.
Note that the CSSRS is the only school service center in Estrie that has not converted April 8 into an education day. In a Jan. 17 email to La Tribune, the CSSRS confirmed that the school day would be maintained and that protective eyewear had been purchased for both students and staff.
In an interview, Mr. Racette declined to comment when asked whether the original plan to keep schools open would be maintained. “I will give you the information as soon as possible,” he said.
Last January, the Sommets and Hauts-Cantons school service centers announced that the day would become an education day because the solar eclipse had caused problems with school transportation.
“It’s the time when young people are on the buses. […] “We didn’t want to put our young people, aged four, five or six, at risk and let them watch for eight minutes and be damaged forever,” the director-general said. ©General of the CSSHC, Martial Gaudreau.