Do you think summer break is too long, or spring break too short?
These are exactly the questions that the School Board office will be asking parents, students, staff and community members this spring.
The Board will be hosting a series of meetings to discuss the current school calendar, and what changes should be made going forward, if any. With recent changes to regulations regarding school calendars the Board now has the ability to vary from what has always been the standard calendar, and we will be seeking input through the spring before developing a calendar for the 2014/2015 school year.
The calendar for next year, 2013/2014, will remain largely the same as this year with minor changes based on statutory holidays, but moving forward there is a possibility it could look very different than the current model.
The first meeting will be held at the Barriere High School on March 6, at 7 p.m. I urge all community members who may have an interest to attend.
The discussion will center on the effects of changing the school calendar, and there are wide reaching implications not just for students and parents, but the community as a whole. Watch the school District website at www.sd73.bc.ca for further information on online input options as well.
While the calendar will be a large portion of the agenda for the spring the Board of Education has been very busy all winter as well. Recently the Board received the Annual Report on First Nations and Aboriginal Students. The Board also received a report on the Adjusted Six Year Completion Rate for 2011/2012.
Both of these reports are available online and highlight the areas where the District has been meeting and achieving targets for skills growth and graduation, and also where improvements are needed.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments! I can be reached by phone at 250-319-7328 or email at rkershaw@sd73.bc.ca.
Rhonda Kershaw, Trustee, School District 73