Each year the school district wrestles with the school year calendar for the next year – that next year September 2014 to June 2015.

The recent tradition has been to have Pro D days in August so as to not disturb the number of instructional days between the first and last day of the term.

This year a request from teachers has been made to insert two of the Pro D days between the “book-ends” and adding 4 minutes to the length of each instructional day to ensure compliance with the law of the province.

(School Act, sections 5 and 175 ….. provided the required number of hours of instruction in a school day)

Teachers and advocates assert two many Pro D days in a row are counterproductive and that professionals need a rest/break/refresh throughout the regular year – not all them at the end of summer. Administrators stated that a couple of days in August allows for a unifying approach to a new year of instruction.

We questioned the board, at an education committee meeting, on the number of non-instructional days and other times when classroom hours were eliminated. There are 7 TIM days – “Inquiry Time” days when teachers and administrators collaborate and students released early in the day. There are 4 other early release days for various reasons and one school planning day.

Trustee Sam Hancheroff told other board members he was concerned with the effect on non teaching (CUPE) staff and how this option would affect the budget. Trustee June Harrington expressed her concern that the 4 minutes additional is not a good tradeoff for the two lost days. Chair Marieze Tarr said any new plan must be related to the public in a way that thoroughly explains just what might happen – as it is the politicians that hear the heat the most.

No decision has been made and trustees are hoping new policies involving parents at public meetings will allow for a thorough review of the subject before a decision is made in March.