Who sets the school calendar for each year?
Local School Boards establish the school calendar. In 2012 changes to the Provincial School Calendar Regulation eliminated the standard school calendar which had previously been published by the Province. Since then, Boards of Education establish local calendars for their school districts.
What is the process required by the School Act?
The School Calendar Regulation sets out the requirements for consultation on proposed School Calendars. Boards of Education are required to submit their school calendar to the Ministry by March 31st.
Does the School Act require a set number of days for each school year?
No, the Ministry does not set a minimum number of school days in each school year. The School Act does, however, set the minimum hours of instruction that must be offered to students.
Who decides when holiday breaks are?
The dates for a school district’s winter and spring breaks are determined by language set out in the Collective Agreement and any letters of understanding school districts may have with their local employee groups.
Are parents consulted before the calendars are created?
When a new calendar is being created, consideration to past feedback is given, and we also incorporate feedback received throughout the year. Parents have an opportunity to provide feedback on draft school calendars prior to March 31.
Why does the district ask for feedback, when much of the calendar is determined by the local collective agreement?
School districts are required to share proposed calendars with the public for feedback before they are submitted to the Ministry. The feedback is important to us, and although we cannot always make changes, the information is useful when planning future calendars. We do our best to balance feedback with our requirements.