North Van students in class fewer days next year as school calendar approved

Kids attending public school in North Vancouver will be in class for the fewest number of school days in recent memory starting in September.

A calendar quirk that comes around once every seven years means the 2021/2022 school year will have only 179 instructional days, assistant superintendent Chris Atkinson told North Vancouver school trustees at their March meeting.

“That’s an incredibly short year. It’s the shortest that comes around in a seven-year cycle,” he said.

The school year will include the usual two-week winter break, two-week spring break, plus six professional development days (when students are not in session and four staff-collaboration days (when students are only in session for part of the day).

But students won’t be getting an extra day off on Friday, Nov. 12, despite a request from North Vancouver teachers.

Board rejects request for extra day off

Carolyn Pena, president of the North Vancouver Teachers Association, asked that the board add Nov. 12 to its list of days off to create a four-day weekend during a “particularly busy time for teachers.”

Pena said teachers are under a lot of stress and the extra day would create an additional mental health break. Many families pull their kids out of school for a long weekend anyway, she said.

Some trustees were sympathetic to that argument.

But others said having more days off creates stress and cost for parents who have to take time off work without being paid.

Trustee Cyndi Gerlach said that’s especially true for parents of children with special needs, and many from disadvantaged families, who rely on supports from school.

“I just think it's a slap in the face to those families that require this support,” said Gerlach.

Board chair George Tsiakos said adding minutes to each school day to “make up” the time never really equates to taking away a day of instruction.

Secretary treasurer Jacqui Stewart added CUPE staff would not usually be paid for that extra day off and if the board wanted to ensure they didn’t lose pay, it would come at an additional cost.

The board eventually voted to keep Nov. 12 as a regular school day.

Quarter system likely for high schools next year

Atkinson told trustees administrators are now planning for the next school year to be based on the “quarter system” currently in place at local high schools. Atkinson said that system has both benefits and drawbacks compared to the more familiar linear timetable. But given the uncertainty currently surrounding the pandemic, it’s easier to plan for a quarter system then adjust it as needed than to plan for a linear timetable and have to scrap it, he said.