By Cam Fortems
Kamloops This Week
School’s out for two weeks in the spring until at least the end of the 2017 school year.
Trustees for the Kamloops-Thompson board of education took no action to change the school calendar at spring break following a report that polled 6,700 parents, as well as the teachers union.
A robo-call phone poll of district parents found about 60 per cent prefer the two-week spring break. The lost days are made up by extending instructional time each day.
“It got good coverage,” district superintendent Karl deBruijn said of the poll. “It went to a lot of homes.”
Parents who don’t like the extra week break typically struggled with childcare concerns, he said.
Teachers reported to the board there was no “so-called summer slide where kids regress.” The teachers’ union favours continuing the two-week break.
The board of trustees decided to try a two-week spring break in the 2014-2015 school year for a three-year term.
Monday’s (July 6) report reviewed it in year one, with teachers and parents in favour of continuing.
The district parent advisory committee did not take a position.