Two week spring break next year in School District 57
Lisa Carson summed it up simply.
"We're a bit ahead of the game this year," said the assistant superintendent and chair of the School District 57 calendar committee.
The calendar for the 2012-13 school year was approved by the board at its April 23 meeting in Valemount. The calendar didn't need to be ratified until May 31.
"It was fairly easy to put together," Carson said. "We have a standing committee and we start what the ministry proposes. We also look at the present calendar and get feedback from the different groups on what works and what doesn't."
One of those recommendations was to make what would normally be the first day of school a non-instructional day. Next year, that means Tuesday, Sept. 4, will be a non-instructional day, and school will start for students on Wednesday, Sept. 5.
"That recommendation was in a report prepared back in 2007," Carson said. "We've received positive feedback from the partner groups, so we'll keep it in place."
The big decision this year was to have a two-week spring break, from March 18 to 29.
"We looked at the entire province to see what they were doing," Carson said of the decision. "The majority were on two weeks, so that's what we went with."
Prince George District Teachers' Association president Matt Pearce said his group agreed with Carson on how easily the calendar went together.
"We have members on both sides of the spring break issue, but more appreciate the break when it makes sense.
"There is a lot of support for the two-week break."
Pearce pointed out there is already a two-week break scheduled for 2015 to coincide with the Canada Winter Games.
"That one might be a bit tougher, because it's in February, and that makes for a long stretch there with no breaks."
The committee also recommended moving the regular Easter Monday holiday to Thursday, March 28, so it would fall within the two-week spring break.
This means classes will be resuming on April 1. Pearce laughed when it was mentioned that was April Fools' Day.
"I don't think anybody had even thought of that."
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