Elizabeth Ziegler Public School was built in 1931. It was the third elementary school constructed in the City of Waterloo and officially designated a heritage landmark in 1985.
The Waterloo Region District School Board suddenly shut it down in March due to structural concerns and it is still not clear when it will reopen.
Here’s a brief outline of its closure and the impact on local families.
March 3: The Waterloo Region District School Board announces Elizabeth Ziegler Public School will temporarily shut its doors “in response to a recent concern discovered with the façade of the school.” Families are told the building will close for two days while staff and contractors investigate the issue.
March 5: The board said the school will remain closed the rest of the week while workers continue structural testing. A chunk of concrete can be seen missing from the front of the building’s façade. Fencing is put up around the elementary school to bar any access to the building.
March 7: Students head off on March break without knowing when they will return to their classrooms.
A report from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario found that 55 WRDSB schools were below a state of good repair as of March 31, 2024. The school board did not know if Elizabeth Ziegler Public School was one of those identified as needing repair.
March 11: The closure at Elizabeth Ziegler Public School is extended until March 28. The board said the decision was made in collaboration with staff and structural engineers. Students are asked to pick up Chromebooks and iPads at the school so they can continue their studies remotely after March break.
March 12: The Waterloo Region District School Board said it has retained a structural engineer and is waiting on their final report.
Parents, meanwhile, express their frustration over the extended closure and impact on their children and family schedules.
March 14: Elizabeth Ziegler Public School will remain closed for the rest of the 2024-2025 school year, according to the most recent update.
“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,” it said.
Portables begin arriving on school property.
March 17: The school board announces their plan for a return to in-person classes.
Students in the full-day Kindergarten classes, the Extended Day Program, and Grades 1 through 6, will continue their lessons in portables on the Elizabeth Ziegler Public School property. The board said that represented about 60 per cent of student body.
Students taking French Immersion classes, meanwhile, would be bused on Sandowne Public School, while students in the Congregated Alternative Continuum of Education (ACE) program would be moved to JW Gerth Public School and enrichment program students would attend Brigadoon Public School.
All students were told classes would resume by April 1.
The board said the final report from engineers was expected by the end of the week.
Students also picked up Chromebooks and iPads at Elizabeth Ziegler Public School to being remote learning.
March 20: A community meeting is held for families affected by the closure of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School. More than 100 people showed up at McGregor Public School to discuss the board’s plan.
April 1: Students return for in-person classes at Elizabeth Ziegler Public School and Sandowne Public School.
It was also announced that Elizabeth Ziegler Public School would remain closed for at least another year.
“We have made a determination about the 2025-26 school year based on the information known to date in the interim report and know the final report will not change this outcome,” the school board said.
In addition to the structural engineering team, an architect and consulting engineer are brought in to assess the building’s façade. Their report to the board is expected in late April or early May.
April 2: The board puts out its plan for the 2025-2026 school year. Both regular track and French Immersion students at Elizabeth Ziegler Public School will attend Sandowne Public School. A total of 12 portables have been added at Sandowne and transportation will be offered to those within the Elizabeth Ziegler Public School boundary.
Students taking Alternative Continuum of Education (ACE) classes will remain at JW Gerth Public School, while Congregated Enrichment classes will continue at Brigadoon Public School.
April 4: Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife and Kitchener Centre MPP Aislinn Clancy, in a letter to the Minister of Education, call for a review on the formula used for school infrastructure funding.
April 10: The board addressed its plan to send students to Sandowne Public School. In a statement, they said they were unable to consult the broader Elizabeth Ziegler school community due to the need for “timely decisions.” They also explained Sandowne was chosen because it could accommodate the additional students, the extra portables and already had a French Immersion program.
