There are no doubt a number of students grumbling in the community of learners these days, as Prince Rupert school trustees decided against adding a few days off to next years spring break.
An unusual confluence of dates on the calendar next year have the annual Spring break and Easter break arriving back to back next year, a situation that has a number of school districts across the province extending next years spring break to two weeks to take into account the arrival of Easter at the same time.
Not so in Prince Rupert, where local trustees decided that a two week break was “too much” for local students, who will have their annual break From March 14 to 19, take Easter off and then return for a three day school week on March 26th.
Prince Rupert's school district contacted a number of districts across the province and found that many of them, will extend the break until March 31st. Results which they provided to the trustees for their consideration.
The decision locally came despite a survey of parents which provided a response of 459 preferring two weeks, with 64 against. Members of the International Union of Operating Engineers came down on the side of a two week break with 112 in favor and 8 against. On the academic side of the school, 91 Teachers that were polled on the issue wanted the two week break, while 17 were against it.
Not surprisingly, no students were polled on the issue, but we can surmise that the returns there would be in the high nineties had the vote been taken in class. Perhaps one of the few times that students and school teachers and administrators, might be on the same page of the proposed lesson plan at the same time.
The full results of the debate were provided by the Daily News in Monday’s paper.
TRUSTEES NIX TWO-WEEK BREAK
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, May 14, 2007
Page one
Despite strong support from their partners in education, the board of trustees for School District 52 won’t be giving students a two-week spring break next year.
Last Monday, the board had to pass its school calendar for the next year and while many districts in B. C. are extending spring break to two weeks because the Easter holiday falls into that time period, most members of the local board felt it would be too much for Prince Rupert’s students.
“There is ample research out there that being out of school is not of benefit to vulnerable students,” said trustee Russell Wiens.
The board’s decision calls for students to leave for spring break on Fri. March 14 and return to school on Wed. March 26 for a three day week.
The proposal which was strongly supported by district’s “partners-in-education’ – a group that includes teachers and parents – that has been adopted by many other districts calls for students to leave on Fri. March 14 for two weeks, returning March 31.
Bill Ford, the district’s director of instruction, said he contacted seven school districts to ask about the impact of the altered calendar with the extended break. These other districts have already extended spring break to two weeks for financial reasons.
“It had an impact on people, they were coming back to school more refreshed,” said Ford.
The end result, he said, was no measurable impact on students’ assessments and a significant reduction in sick days among both teachers and students.
Trustee Janet Mirau suggested the district might be able to offer a program similar to summer read and play – where vulnerable students continue coming to school while others are off.
That way, they might be able to offer the longer spring break but not impact their more vulnerable students.
However, Wiens pointed out there are also child care issues for vulnerable students.
“Other districts… are not our district,” he said.
“Now you have two days of day care you did not have to pay for before. This is of no consequence to middle income, two-parent households but in our district there is a significant population without those supports.”
Of parents polled, 459 preferred two weeks spring break compared to 64 against.
Among members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, 112 preferred two weeks off at spring break while eight were opposed.
And among teachers polled 91 said they wanted two weeks off, while 17 were against.
Overall, more than 85 per cent of those polled were in support of the two-week spring break.
“We are seeing such high numbers from parents, I am wondering if we are listening to these people,” said trustee Brian Johnson.
However, the board voted to go with the shorter spring break, with only board chair Tina Last and Brian Johnson opposed to doing so.
Not so in Prince Rupert, where local trustees decided that a two week break was “too much” for local students, who will have their annual break From March 14 to 19, take Easter off and then return for a three day school week on March 26th.
Prince Rupert's school district contacted a number of districts across the province and found that many of them, will extend the break until March 31st. Results which they provided to the trustees for their consideration.
The decision locally came despite a survey of parents which provided a response of 459 preferring two weeks, with 64 against. Members of the International Union of Operating Engineers came down on the side of a two week break with 112 in favor and 8 against. On the academic side of the school, 91 Teachers that were polled on the issue wanted the two week break, while 17 were against it.
Not surprisingly, no students were polled on the issue, but we can surmise that the returns there would be in the high nineties had the vote been taken in class. Perhaps one of the few times that students and school teachers and administrators, might be on the same page of the proposed lesson plan at the same time.
The full results of the debate were provided by the Daily News in Monday’s paper.
TRUSTEES NIX TWO-WEEK BREAK
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, May 14, 2007
Page one
Despite strong support from their partners in education, the board of trustees for School District 52 won’t be giving students a two-week spring break next year.
Last Monday, the board had to pass its school calendar for the next year and while many districts in B. C. are extending spring break to two weeks because the Easter holiday falls into that time period, most members of the local board felt it would be too much for Prince Rupert’s students.
“There is ample research out there that being out of school is not of benefit to vulnerable students,” said trustee Russell Wiens.
The board’s decision calls for students to leave for spring break on Fri. March 14 and return to school on Wed. March 26 for a three day week.
The proposal which was strongly supported by district’s “partners-in-education’ – a group that includes teachers and parents – that has been adopted by many other districts calls for students to leave on Fri. March 14 for two weeks, returning March 31.
Bill Ford, the district’s director of instruction, said he contacted seven school districts to ask about the impact of the altered calendar with the extended break. These other districts have already extended spring break to two weeks for financial reasons.
“It had an impact on people, they were coming back to school more refreshed,” said Ford.
The end result, he said, was no measurable impact on students’ assessments and a significant reduction in sick days among both teachers and students.
Trustee Janet Mirau suggested the district might be able to offer a program similar to summer read and play – where vulnerable students continue coming to school while others are off.
That way, they might be able to offer the longer spring break but not impact their more vulnerable students.
However, Wiens pointed out there are also child care issues for vulnerable students.
“Other districts… are not our district,” he said.
“Now you have two days of day care you did not have to pay for before. This is of no consequence to middle income, two-parent households but in our district there is a significant population without those supports.”
Of parents polled, 459 preferred two weeks spring break compared to 64 against.
Among members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, 112 preferred two weeks off at spring break while eight were opposed.
And among teachers polled 91 said they wanted two weeks off, while 17 were against.
Overall, more than 85 per cent of those polled were in support of the two-week spring break.
“We are seeing such high numbers from parents, I am wondering if we are listening to these people,” said trustee Brian Johnson.
However, the board voted to go with the shorter spring break, with only board chair Tina Last and Brian Johnson opposed to doing so.
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