High school students in Sarnia, Ontario, will see their final exams pushed back by one day if winter weather causes school buses to be cancelled on January 25 or 26, 2026. The Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) has activated its inclement-weather exam contingency plan to ensure students who rely on buses are not unfairly disadvantaged if they cannot make it to school during the storm.
If Chatham-Kent Lambton Administrative School Services (CLASS) decides roads are too dangerous for buses — a decision that, under the board’s contingency approach, is made by 6:00 a.m. on the day in question — all secondary exams in the affected zone will be moved to the next school day. That means a Thursday exam postponed for weather would be written on Friday, and the rest of the testing week would shift forward by one day to keep the schedule aligned.
Director of Education Gary Girardi said the board’s priority is safety, and the plan is intended to prevent students from being forced to travel in dangerous conditions. Schools typically remain open for students who can walk or secure alternate transportation, but no new exams are administered on days when buses are cancelled so every student has an equal chance to complete their evaluations.
Local principals in Sarnia are helping students and staff prepare for the possible changes. Melissa Mallette, principal at Northern Collegiate, and Nathan Jeffrey, principal at Great Lakes Secondary School, are among the school leaders coordinating on-site logistics and supervision for students who do arrive at school.
Families are asked to check CLASS bus-status updates (MySBI) for zone cancellations and to consult the LKDSB mobile app for board notices. The board also recommends listening to local radio or checking official board and CLASS channels early in the morning for the latest information.
If the severe weather lasts more than two days, the board may need to adjust the start date for the next semester; senior LKDSB administration, including the Director of Education, would make those wider operational decisions. For now, students are advised to stay prepared to write their exams but to check their phones first thing in the morning for any schedule changes.
