To help support families and students through the closure of Elizabeth Ziegler PS, we’ve prepared answers to a selection of frequently asked questions. We will continue to update this web page as information becomes available.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Closure of Elizabeth Ziegler PS
The decision to close Elizabeth Ziegler Public School has been made based on direction from professional staff and structural engineers to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff.
At this time we have not received a final report as we continue to look at all the options and are thankful for the suggestions made at the recent community meeting. The interim report provides the necessary information that will support the planning for the 2025-26 school year.
Unfortunately, the interim report does make it clear that we will not be able to occupy Elizabeth Ziegler Public School for the 2025-26 school year. This is not the news we had hoped to share with staff, students, and families, yet we would like to reaffirm our commitment to supporting the achievement and well-being of all students throughout this process.
School closures are disruptive for students and families and we appreciate everyone’s understanding during this difficult time. We are committed to keeping families up to date, as information becomes available.
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. The City of Waterloo has been involved throughout this process and is supportive of this decision.
At this time we have not received a final report as we continue to look at all the options and are thankful for the suggestions made at the recent community meeting. The interim report provides the necessary information that will support the planning for the 2025-26 school year.
The interim report from the structural engineering firm retained by the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) confirms that we will not have occupancy of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School for the 2025-26 school year.
At this time we have not yet received a final report and this is because of the decision to engage in further consultation between the current engineering firm, an architect and an additional consulting engineer. As a result we will not receive a final report for 4 to 6 weeks. Upon receiving the final report we will then share the findings.
Yes.
- French Immersion (FI) students will be bussed to Sandowne from Elizabeth Ziegler for the start of the school day and returned to Elizabeth Ziegler at the end of the school day.
- Congregated Alternative Continuum of Education (ACE) and Enrichment Program students will be bussed from their homes to JW Gerth PS and Brigadoon PS, respectively.
- Bussing for students remaining at the Elizabeth Ziegler PS property will continue to operate as normal.
- Bussing drop-off and pick-up locations at Elizabeth Ziegler PS remain the same for students currently riding the school bus.
Families can find information about bus pick-up and drop-off locations by logging in to the BusPlanner application.
Students who opt out of riding the bus must provide their own transportation to the temporary locations. Please note: Parents must not pick-up and drop-off students in the school parking lots, and must obey no parking or no stopping signs on municipal roads.
When students return to in-person learning the Extended Day program will reopen at Elizabeth Ziegler PS. All students previously accessing the Extended Day program may continue to attend the program at Elizabeth Ziegler PS for the remainder of the school year.
Students assigned to the temporary alternative school locations will be picked up and dropped off by bus at Elizabeth Ziegler Public School to continue participating in the Extended Day program.
Students at Elizabeth Ziegler PS will have access to a portable washroom trailer that includes running water and hand-washing facilities.
Students at Sandowne PS in portables will have access to washrooms in the main school building.
- The school day runs from 9:15 a.m. to 3:35 p.m.
- The school day runs from 9:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- The school day runs from 9:25 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
We recognize that this transition may be challenging for students and families. Our aim is to ensure that students remain with their classroom teacher through these transitions. To support this, we have developed a comprehensive plan that prioritizes educational continuity and student well-being.
WRDSB is fully committed to providing the necessary supports to ensure a smooth transition for students and staff and to mitigate the impact on student academics.
The school year calendar for students at Elizabeth Ziegler PS continues as scheduled and has not been extended.
We continue to work with school staff to support appropriate curriculum planning to accommodate these changes. Our primary goal is to ensure student and staff safety. Students and staff continue to have access to the outdoor property at the school for outdoor learning opportunities, including physical education.
We made the decision to install 12 portables on Elizabeth Ziegler PS property, the maximum limit that would allow a timely return to in-person learning. More than 12 portables on Elizabeth Ziegler PS property would require extensive infrastructure additions that would delay a return to in-person learning. This means that not all staff and students will be able to remain at Elizabeth Ziegler PS.
After careful consideration, we developed a comprehensive plan to prioritize educational continuity and student well-being. Our aim is to ensure students remain with their classroom teacher through these transitions. Depending on their program, we recognize this may mean students from the same family may be temporarily relocated to separate school sites for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.
At this time we have not received a final report as we continue to look at all the options and are thankful for the suggestions made at the recent community meeting. The interim report provides the necessary information that will support the planning for the 2025-26 school year.
The interim report from the structural engineering firm retained by the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) confirms that we will not have occupancy of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School for the 2025-26 school year.
At this time we have not yet received a final report and this is because of the decision to engage in further consultation between the current engineering firm, an architect and an additional consulting engineer. As a result we will not receive a final report for 4 to 6 weeks. Upon receiving the final report we will then share the findings.
Read more about the 2025-2026 Return to Learning for Elizabeth Ziegler PS Students and Staff.
As we move forward with the assessment of the structure of the Elizabeth Ziegler PS building, we are exploring all possible options to ensure that staff and students have a safe and welcoming building to return to.
As a next step and in part from the feedback from the recent community meeting, further consultation and collaboration will take place between the current structural engineering firm, an architect and additional consulting engineer. We believe these measures will help to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the findings and allow us to assess all available options as we move forward. At this time we expect a final report in 4 to 6 weeks.
We have not yet received a final report from the structural engineering firm, and will provide additional information when it is available.
At this time we cannot occupy any part of the Elizabeth Ziegler Public School building, and as a result staff and students will not be able to remain at this location for the 2025-26 school year.
For the 2025-26 school year, students currently attending Elizabeth Ziegler PS will be registered as students at Sandowne PS.
As of April 15, 2025, new students or internal transfers in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6, residing within the 2024-2025 Elizabeth Ziegler Public School boundary will attend either:
- Empire Public School
- Prueter Public School
The determination of which school the student will attend will depend on their home address.
Transportation to Empire PS or Prueter PS will be provided to qualifying students based on distances outlined in Board Policy 4009 – Student Transportation.