The front doors to Halton public elementary schools will be unlocked starting Monday as part of a new job action by school secretaries and office staff.

Halton education director Stuart Miller advised parents of the change in a letter sent out Friday. The decision contrasts the Hamilton-Wentworth board's decision to continue to lock their doors.

Parents reacted immediately to the change on social media, with some suggesting they may keep their children home because of safety concerns.

In his email, Miller said beginning Monday school support staff (office and secretarial staff) will begin province wide job actions that include no longer monitoring the school entry buzzers.

"As you know, our schools are experiencing significant impact due to the withdrawal of services by teachers and custodial staff.

"These sanctions will impact our elementary schools significantly. In our elementary schools, the front door will need to remain unlocked during the school day as secretarial staff are no longer able to unlock the door for visitors."

He said entryway cameras will still be used and office staff will monitor visitors.

All 93 Hamilton public elementary schools will continue to keep the buzzer system in place and the schools will remain locked during the school day, board director Manny Figueiredo confirmed late Friday afternoon.

"We are taking a different approach. We will have our schools remained locked. There will be signs on the doors for parents so they know there might be some delays. We're still keeping them locked, we want to assure safe and secure entry into schools. Principals and vice principals will endeavour to do their best to buzz parents and community members in," Figueiredo said.

But Hamilton has opted to postpone all planned cross country competitions this month until the spring to lessen the administrative impact. That change affects some 8,000 to 10,000 students.

The job action of secretary and office staff, which follow job actions by teachers and caretaking staff, will cause additional disruptions locally and across the province. Staff will no longer:

• call students to the office and supervise students sent to the office

• manage cash or cheques

• assist with student registration

• attend School Council meetings

• assist with school communications, such as newsletters, blogs, website updates and 'tweets'

The changes mean it will no longer be business as usual in Halton elementary schools, said Miller.

"Our principals and vice-principals have done and will continue to do their very best to maintain school activities — and we thank them for their work. However, the cumulative nature of the sanctions implemented by the various union groups means we can no longer maintain a 'business as usual' approach."

He said senior staff will focus on keeping students and staff safe, keeping schools operating and ensuring learning continues. Parents should prepare for disruptions.

"Many things you normally expect as part of the school experience will likely be cancelled or postponed. For example, our secretaries will no longer handle money, so many activities cannot continue, and our custodians will not sweep hallways, so the school will not appear the way it usually does."

He warned many activities would likely be cancelled or postponed, including field trips, food days where money still needs to be collected by the school, open houses and other school events, school council activities and compost and 'green bin' programs

"Principals and vice-principals have been directed to cancel or postpone all but the core work of the school," wrote Miller. "We share your disappointment. However, I am sure you understand the importance of keeping schools open, safe, and focused on student learning."

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Jeff Sorensen, president of the Hamilton-Wentworth Teachers unit of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, said 2,300 Hamilton public elementary teachers are taking part in the Wynne Wednesdays job action (no assemblies and teachers wearing orange), are not collecting money for food programs, such as pizza day fundraisers and are not planning or taking part in field trips.

"It's not life as usual, but honestly I believe most parents and students won't be able to distinguish a difference. I think people who will be experiencing a difference will be principals," he said.