Monday’s one-day strike by elementary school teachers and support staff was felt in all corners of the city by parents, students, educators — even crossing guards.

The parents

Carolyn Bennett and her son Mikko, a student at Garden Avenue Public, were among more than 100 parents, students and teachers who rallied at the corner of Lansdowne Avenue and Queen Street West, in a show of solidarity.

Several parents from Bennett’s Parkdale neighbourhood showed their support by treating teachers to coffee and baked goods.

“They’re striking for a better education for my son,” she said.

Bennett sided with the teachers, despite the rotating strikes being a double whammy for her household, which has one child in elementary and another attending a nearby high school, where teachers are expected to strike Tuesday.

“We’re OK with that, because it’s important that they’re out here,” she said.

#ETFOstrike: Parents explain why they support the teachers strike

Jared Epp, a researcher, had to stay home with his two daughters, ages seven and four, while his wife went to work. The girls were restless at home, so they joined teachers from nearby Queen Victoria Public School on the picket lines.

“Hopefully, the government can listen and they can get back to the table because it’s very disruptive,” he said.

The crossing guard

Things were a lot quieter than usual Monday for Pat Caplikas, the crossing guard who would typically have a busy day guiding students across the intersection of College Street and Brock Avenue.

“I haven’t seen any of the public school students so far today,” she said, while sitting on a bench passing the time, waiting to shepherd students from a nearby high school. “It’s going to be worse tomorrow, because the secondary school students won’t be in school.”

After more than 20 years as a crossing guard, Caplikas has seen enough teacher-related job action to know that there may be a few more slow days.

“This strike looks like it’s going to drag on for a while,” she said.

The pop-up daycare

Parents at George Syme Community and Runnymede Public schools found a creative alternative daycare: a pop-up camp at Kunphen Buddhist Centre near St.Clair Avenue and Jane Street.

The sound of frolicking youngsters echoed throughout the hallways of the centre, as a pack of lively students passed the time doing arts and craft, and passing a ball around on the hardwood floor of the interior hall.

Liana Salvador-Watts, whose kids attend George Syme, spearheaded the impromptu daycare, with the support of parent volunteers, to help those unable to find care for their children.

“I hope this inspires other communities to do the same thing to help each other,” she said about the camp, which charged $20 per child. “If the government doesn’t listen to our educators and take the cuts off the table, we might be doing this again.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

The picket line

Frigid weather was no deterrent for Edith Reese, a Grade 2 teacher at Thorncliffe Public School for more than two decades.

“It doesn’t matter if it was even -40, our voices need to be heard,” said Reese on the picket line. “We’re fighting for better.”

Allison Kennedy, a teacher at Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy in Thorncliffe Park, an all-kindergarten school, wants the government to be forthright about its plans for kindergarten.

Last year, the Ford government prompted speculation that changes were in the works when they would only commit to all-day “learning” for 2019.

“I’m fighting for kindergarten,” said Kennedy. “My hope is that everything is as transparent and honest as possible and the public is hearing the real story.”