At the December 14 Board meeting, Trustees accepted the recommendation from senior administration for the 2023-2024 school year calendar. 

What has changed?

The notable changes for the 2023-2024 school calendar include 

• The first student day is closer to Labour Day than in the previous school year: August 30 (The Wednesday rather than the Tuesday prior to the long weekend)
• a Fall Break: November 6-10 (November 10 is a day in lieu of Remembrance Day)
• the Christmas Break will not take place over split weeks: December 25-January 5

See the calendar

Feedback & Decision-Making 

As a division, several factors are considered when developing the school calendar. We solicit feedback from parents and staff recognizing there are a lot of competing needs and different perspectives. Calendar decisions are also influenced by:

• Provincial Achievement Test and Provincial Diploma Exam schedules
• Balancing the number of instructional days in both the first and second semesters
• Statutory holidays
• Collective Agreements
• Most importantly, the educational needs of staff and students (strategic placement of professional learning/non-instructional Days)
  

From staff we heard:

• Avoid placing PD Days close to long weekends
• Days for PD that do not involve making sub plans
• Fall Break (especially from town schools without alternate calendars)
• Two full weeks at Christmas (not split weeks)
• Collaboration days between teachers & EAs for transition planning 
• Start-up day(s) at school (not off-site)

Our survey to parents provided the following results:

We value the feedback we receive from parents and staff and thank them for their input. 

For schools with alternate schedules, their Alternate Calendars will be designed with school councils over the next few months and posted on the school and division websites.