LONDON, ONT. -- The Thames Valley District School Board is temporarily closing Ashley Oaks Public School and moving all classes to remote learning because of "widespread exposure to COVID-19."

A large number of staff and students are now required to quarantine effective immediately.

Students will move from in-person to remote learning starting Thursday until the end of the spring break on April 19.

Teachers will be reaching out to families with information regarding remote learning.

All other programs before and after school, as well as spring break activities, are also cancelled.

This comes on the same day the board issued a news release stating schools are safe and will remain open for in-person learning during the provincial four-week stay-at-home order that begins Thursday.

“At this time, our local public health units support schools remaining open because we continue to have very low school-based transmission of COVID-19. The data demonstrates that our schools are safe,” said Mark Fisher, Director of Education.

The TVDSB continues to work with the Middlesex-London Health Unit to monitor for the virus in schools.

“Our collective commitment to health and safety keeps our schools open, where students are better supported from the perspective of their mental health and well-being,” added Fisher.