October 14 Power Outage
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) made the decision to keep Westdale Secondary School open today despite a community wide power outage, based on a thorough assessment of safety, comfort, and operational readiness. The following factors informed this decision:
-
Safe and Comfortable Learning Environment
Classroom temperatures remained within a comfortable range throughout the day, ensuring that students and staff could continue
learning without discomfort or health concerns.
-
Access to Essential Facilities
Students and staff had uninterrupted access to functioning washrooms. In areas where automatic handwashing sensors were affected by the outage, manual accommodations were promptly put in place to maintain hygiene standards. -
Use of Natural Light and Restricted Access
Areas of the school that lacked adequate natural lighting were closed to ensure safety. Instruction and activities were relocated to well-lit spaces, allowing learning to continue without compromise. Additional staff supervisions were allocated throughout the school to support safe movement through the building. -
Minimizing Disruption to Learning
The school remained a stable and supervised environment, which is especially important for student well-being and routine.
HWDSB remains committed to ensuring student safety and learning continuity, and will continue to monitor and respond to operational challenges with care and transparency.
The estimated time for power restoration is the afternoon of Tuesday October 14th.
Thank you to our students, staff and community for their patience and support during today’s outage.
Updated on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.