The Prince George district calendar committee met to discuss the calendar for the 2012/13 school year, and the question of whether or not to have a two week spring break in 2013 has come up.
The school district follows the recommendations of the 2007 District Calendar Committee, two of which are as follows:
- That the district’s spring break should always be scheduled to coincide with the provincial spring break, as per the Ministry of Education’s standard school calendar.
- That a two-week spring break be considered only in years where, as a result, a maximum of three instructional days must be made up.
For the next school year, the Ministry of Education’s Spring Break is March 18 to 22, Good Friday is on the 29th, and Easter Monday is on April 1st. It was recommended in the committee meeting that the Easter Monday holiday be moved to the previous week, which would mean there would be only three instructional days off, and therefore Prince George would have a two week Spring Break March 18 to 29, with Easter Monday, April 1st, being a school day. The instructional day would be increased by a few minutes to compensate.
Please note that Easter Monday is not a statutory holiday, although it is common to have this day off in some areas.
The committee has not reached a final recommendation on the matter. The committee would send a recommendation to the board, who would make the final decision.
Note: the District Parent Advisory Council has one representative on this committee, along with other partner groups.
Parents – do you have any comments on this matter? What would your vote be – to have a 2 week Spring Break, or a one week Spring Break?
I would rather see an earlier spring break than one so close to Easter.
I believe there are pros and cons to both for different families. My question is if we go to 2 weeks where in the school year do we make up this time? Longer school days or later start to summer??
I would like to see the 2 weeks back…don’t really care if its over Easter ..1 week is NOT long enough,… with the schools being closed for those 2 weeks, the dist, could save some money and with any luck get the schools “spring cleaned”
I would like to see 2 weeks for break. I agree that 1 week is not long enough to go any where or do anything.
I like the 2 week spring break. Really, as a teacher and a parent, I find the spring break and then separate Easter break to be more disruptive to the classroom environment. I would rather one big break and then get back and get on with it !
Jodie
I really like a 2 weeks spring break. There is too much interruptions when it is one, then school and then off for Easter break. Having one week off is not enough to re energize and re-motivate the students and staff.
Maureen Dowhy
I love the idea of having a 2 week spring break. If you want to go somewhere this would allow you to do so.
i would like to have two weeks one is just not enough.
I would prefer 2 weeks spring break.
As a teacher and a parent, I would prefer two weeks because the realty is parents are ready for a holiday at this point and even if they are not given two weeks, they take their children out anyway. Parents have expressed their understanding of the problems it causes to the teacher, but they justify it by saying a family holiday is expensive and to go for a shorter amount of time is too expensive. I agree I love seeing my students come back fresh and ready. Sure it takes a bit to get back into the swing, but I think the family time is important.
I am a parent of two high school students, and an elementary teacher. I would like to see a two-week Spring Break. When we have a one-week break, I find that parents often take their children out of school either the week before or the week after. It’s very difficult to start new material when you have several children missing from your class. I think there would be less of this if we had a two-week break.
I also think that it’s better for the health of students, parents and school staff to have a longer break at this time of year. Not only is everyone tired by this point in the year, but there often seems to be a high incidence of flu and sickness around this time.
I would prefer a 2 week break… as others have said, one week is not long enough, especially to go away.
I would like to see a two week spring break. I think this allows more time for family. Also, many parents take their children out of school for an additional week – either before or after spring break. After such a long winter it is great to be able to take the time and hopefully enjoy the sunshine somewhere!
I would like to see a two week Spring Break. It’s nice for families to have the time together and for students to have other opportunities (travel, sports, day camps, etc). Everyone comes back feeling more refreshed and ready to learn.
As a parent of two elementary aged children, two weeks would be great. Especially living where we live up North, two days are taken as travel days to go anywhere so extra time would be great. Some continuous quality family time is always good too- takes a few days just to decompress….think there would be less parents inclined to take their children out for extra days if we went to a 2 week break as well.
As a parent of 2 elementary aged children, I would like to see a 2 week spring break. I find that by March, the kids are very tired and ready for some down time. 2 weeks would allow our family time to take a vacation, and time to be with our extended families who currently have a 2 week break. As it sits, most of our friends and family have 2 weeks and we find it hard to co-ordinate holidays with them.
i have 5 children- 2 in elementary and 3 in highschool. I would like to definatly have a two week spring break with one of the weeks coinciding with the provincial spring break. We often have friends in other districts that have two weeks, and we can’t join in the fun with them. it also makes it really hard for us to to take them to see their grandparents, as it is not long enought given the travel time.
yes I am down with the 2 week spring break, I have family down south and with two of those days spent travelling its just not a long enough visit. A 2 week spring break would make life easier
a week spring break is an awesome idea. i am originally from the lowermainland wher they get 2 weeks off. my kids would love the opportunity to see their grandparents, but 1 week isnt enough time when 2 of them is driving time!
I am in favour of the two weeks spring break. I am from the lower mainland- my daughters dad lives down there, and one week is not enough time for her to spend with her dad and sisters. Two weeks would make her life much easier. It is in her best interest that I request a two week spring break. We cannot go in winter… too dangerous to travel. Two week spring break is a great fix for this issue.
During Spring Break, we often vacation with family and friends throughout the Province. It is unfair that our vacation is cut short because our children are forced to return to school, when others can continue on for another week.
I find that my children (grade 12, grade 6 and grade 3) are exhausted by the time spring break rolls around. They spend the first few days recovering from a physically and mentally exhausting 2 1/2 months due to the intensity of academics between January and mid-march. With a 1 week spring break there just isn’t enough time for them recoup and have a fun family holiday. With the 2 weeks we could truly spend some good quality family time together and visit friends while still taking the time to get the extra rest needed to make it through the last few months of school. Furthermore, by the time spring break rolls around most people have had enough of the grey winter weather and the seasonal depression that goes with it. 2 weeks gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the nicer weather and re-build their vitamin D stores.
I would prefer 1 week as some of us need to find daycare for spring break as we work!
We recently moved from SD6 (Kimberley). Parents and Teachers have voted annually as to whether a one week or two week spring break would occur. It has consistently been two weeks for the years we were there and it was great. Overall, it was well received, even with the challenges of finding child care for the additional time.
I completely agree with the vast majority on here that indicate 2 weeks is the best option. We have moved from Vanderhoof this year and were disappointed to see the 1 week spring break. In Vanderhoof teachers, students, and parents loved the 2 week spring break. For many of the same reasons listed below, lets get with the times and move to two weeks.
2 weeks would be better. Not enough time to actually rest or do anything in 1 week.
I have to say I am very surprised by the strong feeling for a 2 week spring break. As the parent of 2 young adults who have just completed high school and a grade 2 student, I have always prefered the 1 week break. Being a working parent, I found it expensive and difficult to find care for my children for 2 weeks and even more expensive to travel anywhere at this time as the travel prices are much higher at spring break. I think the reason some parents take their kids out of school for the week prior or after sprinng break is to save travel $$ as much as needing extra time. My kids missed their contact with the school and their friends and were always excited to get back to school after the 1 week break (plus weekends on either side). We will be travelling this spring for a holiday, but it won’t be on spring break to avoid the price gouging. I would rather see smaller blocks of time off school more often – even to go so far as breaking up the 2 month summer break.
my vote is for two weeks
Yes we would like a 2 week Spring Break. My husbad works out of town, the week of spring break, so if we had 2 weeks we as a family could do something.
As the parent of an anxious teen, I am in favour of a two week spring break…. its a long, dark winter….
1 week except as noted above when easter follows spring break so closely that it doesn’t make sense to go to school for a 3day week and then off for an extra long weekend.
I would like to see a two week Spring Break as I feel it is more disrupted to get back into things and then take another long break. Along rest is better.
I would prefer a one week spring break. The break is already difficult to manage since not everyone is able to take time off work during that particular week.
Two weeks is fine so long as the entire school years isn’t pushed longer. I’d be in favor of longer school days to compensate if need be – again so long as the school year isn’t pushed longer. It’s too long as it is.
I would love to see a 2 week spring break!
2 weeks spring break has two thumbs up from me. it’s a long haul from Christmas to June and it’s nice to be able to decide what days of the break you would like to do something instead of having to rush because you only have a week.
I am in favour of a two week spring break.
two weeks for sure!
two weeks for sure!
I am also in favor of a two week spring break. It provides a little flexibility with work schedules to coincide days off with the kids. Allowing us to take holidays together as a family and give them time to rest.
I would be in favour of a two week spring break in this circumstance…. Not necessarily every year but this one
I am all in favor of a two-week spring break. Mackenzie is still quite snowy at that time, so it would be nice to have the two-week period to take the family where there is less snow, and one week doesn’t leave enough time for a decent holiday when you factor in the travel time.
As a working parent finding childcare for one week and rearranging shifts is difficult enough. I would like to keep the one week spring break
I enjoy and greatly miss having a 2 week spring break, seems everyone else in the province has a 2 week spring break why not us? And also making the kids go back to school on “Easter Monday????” Are you insane? For most families that is a travel day back from out of town families. Just my opinion.
I am a parent of 2 elementary school aged children and a teacher and would like to re-state, as so many others have here that a 2 week spring break is very beneficial to students, parents and all staff. This amount of time allows for an out-of-province or country vacation or even just enough time in town to really re-charge your batteries.
I believe that instructional time would be maximized as many families take their children out of school at other times throughout the year if the opportunity isn’t there during the scheduled school break.
As a member of a two working parent household, I would like to see spring break kept as one week. I know an extension to two weeks will be a hardship on my family both financially and emotionally. Unfortunately, my children have to be put in daycare for spring break, which poses an extra financial strain if it were two weeks rather than one. Secondly, I would rather have that time as little pro-d day breaks for them spread out over the year. These bonus long weekends for my children serve as welcome breaks spread out over the year. Those occasional day’s off I am able to get the time from work to be at home with them.
I am in favor of 2 week spring break. I feel it benefits the kids and parents.
Yes for the two week spring break!
My vote is to keep it at 1 week as I feel there are too many days off school as it is with all the other non- instructional days. If we are to have a 2 week spring break then we need to remove 5 of the other non-instructional days.
Being up north, I like to get away for spring break and only a week isn’t worth it with the travel time so my son misses school anyway as I take him out a few extra days. It would be nice if we could take a decent break without cutting into actual school days
Being new to Prince George and to BC I have never before heard of a 2 week spring break! Two weeks means less time to cover the recommended curriculum and when our children are learning in an accelerated curriculum I question how everything is being covered particularly when we have so many pro-D days. With a 2 week spring break and all of the pro D days, our child is getting 20 less school days than he would have received from the last school board that he was in. That is a FULL MONTH of instruction. So, I vote for 1 week. Plus, as noted below, with both parents working it is stressful and costly to arrange for child care. There are only so many vacation days that we can take, and daycare is costly.
I would love to have two weeks with my children over spring break!
One week. Not for myself but for the many parents or single parents that can’t afford the extra cost of daycare. Plus mid-March is far away from summer and as a single income family I can not afford to fly my family to Mexico for a vacation. After one week my kids are starting to get restless, especially if the weather is terrible. If possible I prefer to leave spring break at one week and end the school year three days earlier in June when, hopefully by then summer has already started.
I too agree with what you have said as march is not the best time of year to be out of school for 2 weeks. And there is still many long weekends to come before the school year is out.
I am definately in favour of the two week spring break. Being in a northern community we like to get away and one week just doesnt seem to be enough. I think by the time spring break rolls around the kids are tired and could use a good break, they are always refreashed after the 2 week holiday at Christmas why would it be any different from spring break.
I would hate to see my children go back to school for three days between the two holidays. I volunteer in my daughters grade one class and I see first hand how hard it is to ‘rein in’ the kids after a simple two day weekend. The three days in between the two holidays would be full of discipline as the kids re-adjust to the routine and regale their classmates with the tales of their week. There would be little to no educational time. That being said, I don’t think we should have two week spring breaks unless this circumstance repeats itself. The cost of child care is outrageous and in this economy, two weeks added childcare is a virtual debt sentence. If more days must be removed from the already short school year, then lets take them in June and enjoy more summer!
I am in favor of a 2 week Spring break.
As a university professor I cannot take vacation time during March when university classes are in session so a one week spring break is already a challenge. I vote to keep the one week break.
Definitely Not! – there are enough breaks. Just because 10% of the population can afford a Tropical vacation doesn’t mean the rest of us can. I prefer to use my time off wisely – I am not a teacher who gets 12 weeks off, I am like the rest of the population whereas we only have 3 weeks off for the entire year. I don’t think its fair for the teachers to even ask for that. There is nothing for the kids to do in the middle of winter in Prince George why would you want to extend that? Parents end up just working and leaving kids at home unattended. The world has Easter off and now you are suggesting the kids go to school on a day when we all have it off – shake your heads!!! Leave it alone and take another Pro-D day on your own time!
Wow, I feel your direct attack on teachers and 10%of the population is pretty hard. Teachers work very hard and deserve recognition not critisism. I am not a teacher myself but do feel that they earn the right of respect. Second, there is plenty for children to do around Prince George, have you tried looking or doing a little research at the library and other community places like The Y.
I vote for two weeks, I would LOVE the extra time with my kids, they are only little for so long!
I support the suggested Spring Break from March 18 to 29 in 2013. I am happy to see that it would still align with the Ministry of Education break schedule, that is a piece that works well for us as a family in going to visit family in other areas of the province.
I am very much opposed to a 2 week spring break for several reasons:
1. Finding / arranging for daycare over this period is extremely difficult and costly.
2. I have been told my several teachers (in my family) that an extended break is deterimental to a lot of children. Often students spend the first several days back from an extended break trying to get caught up to where they were prior to the break (i.e. 2 week Christmas Break)
3. While not all employed people have Easter Monday off, it is an observed religious holiday. For those parents whose employment does allow for this day off, it enables them to spend time with their children. WHY would you take this time away from parents??? Childhood is precious and over soon – don’t make working parents miss out on time with their children anymore than they already have to.
Between stat holidays, Pro D days, Christmas break, spring break, Easter break and summer holidays, it seems like kids are barely in school as it is!!! Not to mention the day only lasting from 8:45-2:20. Instructional time seems to be at a bare minimum in my opinion. One week is plenty. If it falls too close to Easter break, make spring break earlier.
I am in favour of the two week spring break. KIds and teachers are tired. One week isn’t enough time to feel rested and refreshed. I’ve had both the one week and two week spring breaks and kids are definitely better rested after the two weeks and so am I! With one week you just start to unwind and it is time to go back again.
I am in favour of the two weeks. March is usually the only time we can get away for a vacation and one week is not long enough.
I am in favor of a 2 week Spring break! I have had kids in the school system for over 20 years and spring break is always too short.
2 weeks spring break
I see both sides of this debate. I have two elementary aged children and I also work for the school district. I am not a teacher & do not have enough holiday pay to cover the holiday-so it will be unpaid leave either way. Having said that I would love to have the two weeks off to spend with my family.
I am in favour of a two week spring break. As a teacher myself and as a parent of two boys in the District I would LOVE a two week spring break. I would love to have time to go on a nice holiday and not feel rushed.
I think 2 weeks for Spring Break is a great idea. What a great way to break up the Winter especially living here in Northern BC.
As the parent of a high school student, I would like to see 2 weeks also, By the time spring break comes around, my kid is exhausted, and enjoys the break. It also lets both families in a joint custody situation have a whole week, allowing each a better amount of time to “do something”.
I’m very much in favour of the two week break. One week does not allow an adequate duration to visit family and recharge.
I think a two week break allows families enough time to go away for a winter vacation as well as enough time to visit family. A break from the cold is extremely rejuvenating mentally.
I vote for a 2-week spring break. One week is not long enough to travel out of province, but 2 weeks allows for a restful trip and a couple of days to regroup before returning to routine. Many families take 2 weeks whether it is in the school plan or not, and schools/teachers must accommodate for that regardless of how that is likely to negatively impact the students’ learning.
My family and I are in favour of a two week spring break. Two weeks for Spring Break coincides with other school districts in the province. It makes sense to have that extra time for traveling since we live so far north. In regards to lost instructional time issue, just add on a few minutes every day to each school day.
This would be a great idea….especially if they actually only miss 3 days of instructional days.
Parents: I’m doing a story on this tomorrow, and would love to hear your comments. Please contact me.
Aileen Machell
CKPG News
amachell@ckpg.com
250-563-0111
250-960-9783 (cell)
As a parent very involved in both the elementary school and high school the past 8 years, I see benefits to both a 1 week and a 2 week spring break, however, my vote IS IN VAVOUR of a 2 week spring break. Students, staff and parents all need the time to unwind and gear back up for the last hectic months of the school year. Spring break in the north was originally scheduled around the loggers to be able to take time on their “break” with their family.
Parents who work should not consider our public schools as a “daycare” for your children. It’s a choice you make to be a 2 income family and have someone else tending to your children and I do understand a single parent family does not fall into this category as sometimes you don’t have the choice to stay at home. I work at home so am flexible but enjoy every minute I have with our children. My phylosophy is that you only get one chance to raise your children, there is always a job out there when the time is right. Whether you take an exotic family holiday or stay local, family time is a cherished time and so often not performed in the homes anymore. Time to get back to basics folks and take a role in your childrent’s lives. Luckily, our children do not struggle with their studies, and if they do, home support is always there. As a volunteer at the elementary school levels, I can appreciate how some children struggle through the years and those are the children that are affected and possibly suffer from a 2 week break – so much information is lost that upon the return, it takes weeks again to bring them back up to speed on learning. There are alot of factors to take into consideration both on the learning side and the financial side but a 2 week break has my vote. Maybe one day the district will consider a different form of calendar – smaller breaks but more frequent!
ooops, that should read FAVOUR!
2 weeks of spring break is good
2 weeks of spring break is realy good
2 weaks of spring break is is realy nice
I am in favour of a two week spring break. The children and teachers work very hard between Christmas and spring break. It is a long haul with not even a long weekend (Pro D days are not holidays for teachers!). Schools are not there to provide daycare for children, they are there to provide education. The children’s well being is better served by a longer break so they can rest and spend time with their families before the final push to wrap up the year.
I am also in favour of 2 weeks . I work for the district but I will not be paid for the time off, but as long as I know it is coming I can save up for the break. As a parents I can say the children do need a break, even though they had 2 weeks for christmas we need to take in to consideration exams and the long cold winter we have up North. If Vanderhoof, and Quesnel have the 2 weeks why don’t we.
I am certainly all for the 2 week spring break, especially if it includes the Easter weekend. Winters are long in PG, and by March kids are going a little stir crazy. The longer break also gives many parents the opportunity to take an extended break with the kids when it is not busy, like it is otherwise at the equally long Christmas and New Year’s Eve break.
I am certainly sensitive however to parents who struggle with the cost of childcare, as this longer break will impact these folks. There are however options to share childcare services with other families, which can result in a lot of fun play days for the kids. It would also be nice too to see some low cost full day childcare during the spring break to help too.
So overall, my vote is ‘yes’ for the 2 week spring break.
I am a working mother with two small children. One is in school, and the other spends her days at an in-home daycare. The very thought of having two weeks in which to find activities for my children is stressful. We do have a two-income family, and that is not by choice, but by necessity. I receive three weeks of vacation each year, and with two weeks off at Christmas, and two weeks off at Spring Break, I’m not sure how we would manage. Rather than having quality time with mom, my child would spend his days at daycare or a camp anyways.
I feel that the two-week spring break benefits only those who can afford it. Those who are planning to go away for Spring Break are fortunate enough to afford the cost and time away from work, or are fortunate enough to be at-home parents.
The losers in this situation are single parents and low income families that truly cannot afford to take another week off work, or cannot afford to make other arrangements for their children for an additional week in the year.
I am firmly against a two-week spring break. If it’s ‘just an extra three days of instructional time’, take your kids out on your own time and dollar!
I vote in favour of the 2 week spring break. Many families pull their children out of school for an extra few days if they are going on vacation during that time and with spring break falling so close to Easter weekend I would think even more people would take those extra days in between. A 2 week break would avoid that. It would be nice for the kids to have an extra long break at that time of year.
I vote for 2 weeks!
MOST DEFINITELY 2 WEEKS SPRING BREAK, HIRE A STUDENT FOR YOUR DAY CARE, KIDS LOVE IT! Kids, parents, teachers all deserve some extra family time! We are both working parents and not by choice, we have found that in the past several years we have found that the one week spring break has never been enough time to have quality time with the families.
Our family is in favour of a two week vacation!
ABSOLUTELY 2 WEEKS SPRING BREAK!
We all need 2 weeks spring break.
1 week just isn’t enough to spend with family and cousins.
We need a 2 week spring break!
Both my husband and I agree that our schools are not rigorous enough as it is. Compared with other systems, our days are short and children are graduating from high school without a clue as to what it takes to work hard, and to participate in a demanding program. I would vote against a 2-week break, unless the school year was extended significantly, or we move to a different type of schedule altogether, where instead of a 2-month break in summer, the longest break is only 6 weeks long.
Instead of debating extra time at spring break, I suggest looking at dismissing school one week earlier in June. Quite honestly, by June most of the kids have stopped learning new material. They are burned out. Teachers are burned out. Parents are tired. It would be better to end the school year earlier, even if it meant slightly longer school days during the year. The short spring break is enough to catch a little rest for the final push to the end of the year. Parents have to deal with summer daycare anyway. One more week of summer holiday shouldn’t make that big a difference to that issue.
Spring break is really a break for our children. They need to recharge and come back ready to finish off the year the best they can. My Vote is Two weeks.
Actually I think we need to look at the school calendar overall. Why do we base the school year on an old agrarian model. Why not 2- 3 months of school with a 3 week break. Shorter breaks mean less time for students to ‘lose’ learning and allows them re energize. Lets try and look at the bigger issue.
I am also in favour of a two week break for many of the reasons discussed previously. I understand it would be difficult for many who have to work and are not able to take the time off. However, I do think that children need a break from the workload. Playing and having free time is such an important part of being young. It seems we often forget this as adults wrapped up in our own busy schedules. Some extra quality family time is nice for those that can manage the time off, and for those that can’t, shared childcare with a friend or formal child care still gives the child some time to let his/her mind rest and rediscover the “on hold” imagination.
I would like to see the School have a two week spring break Mar 18-29.
I would also like to have the children off on Easter Monday Apr 1 (consider it a spiritual day and all the children and their families can worship (or not) as they choose.
I am in favour of the 2 week vacation. You need that amount of time to go anywhere or actually get some down time anyway.
I am in favour of a 1 week spring break. How will the additional days taken off with a 2 week spring break be made up. There is too much of an adjustment period, for the students getting back into the curriculum, after taking two weeks off. I agree with Concerned Educator below saying that there are already so many breaks with Pro-D days and other holidays that the number of days in shcool is dwindling. Family time is important, but so is schooling and education. If we educate the generation we are in a better societal position. Family time around school time is spent in the evening and weekends. I do not feel we need an additional week in the spring to make up for family time.
I’m in favour of a one week break. As one commenter below said, by June no one is learning anything anyway, and that was true even when we trialled the 2 weeks off in March previously. Two weeks is too long for children who need routine, and I believe that the disruption in the learning process is detrimental. Ten days is certainly adequate for travel for those who can afford it (there are 2 weekends in there, after all), and doesn’t pose undue hardship on families who can’t afford time off from work.
I find it frustrating that education time is limited as it is, with short school days, routines not getting fully underway till mid or late September, and actual learning winding down by June. Children do need time to play, and people definitely need a break in March, but I find that we are already stretched with homework. If we had longer school days and fewer pro-D days / holdays, perhaps we could truly enjoy the downtime we have, instead of filling it with work that could have been covered in class.
As a parent of 3 students I know how tired they are when they arrive at spring break, and I think they should deserve 2 weeks off instead of one , so we can plan a family vacation since one week wouldn’t really be long enough. Also the extra week would allow them to relax and get ready for school again. Also if you could, could you move spring break by good Friday so it gives them more time off .
I have 2 children in elementry school and i think that 2 weeks is 2 long for parents who work and have to pay daycare or have a job where they can not take the time off. I do think that spring break should be incorporated into easter brake so Spring break for 2013 should start March 25-April 1. The kids get enough time off as it is with pro-d days and stat holidays.
Juanita
I have to say I am very surprised by the strong feeling for a 2 week spring break
, I would like to see a 2 week spring break. I find that by March, the kids are very tired and ready for some down time. 2 weeks would allow our family time to take a vacation, and time to be with our extended families who currently have a 2 week break
As a parent and a TA, I have worked at schools that have done one and two weeks off for Spring Break. Kids who do not do well outside of the school routine tend to be the same when they return regardless of time off, whether it is a week, a 4day weekend, or 2 weeks. I vote for 2 weeks. Everyone needs a good break, especially here in PG!
saving money that could be used to help special needs students, helping the environment- reduce lighting/heating in school- no dirty disiel buses running/parents driving their children to school, a week off of making lunches, allowing more family time, not getting dinged to take a family vacation during peak dates, being able to arrange family get togethers with family in other districts (that are on 2 week breaks) without having children miss curriculum, 43 out of 60 districts have 2 week break….seems like a no brainer to me
One week is too short for my kids who were both sick for the whole week – my relatives in othe districts said it’s great. kids in our district aren’t looking forward/ready to go back, but in my relative districts they are happy/ready to go back.
Those opposed to 2 weeks often say daycare as the issue – SCHOOLS ARE NOT DAYCARES!!!
District saving money that can be used to help special needs kids, reducing impact on environment (less energy used to heat/light buildings, dirty diesel buses not running, parents/staff not driving to school polluting air), not having to make lunches for another week, not getting dinged for family vacations during peak travel times ( on the odd year we can afford it), being able to arrange family visits/reunions with family in other districts that have 2 week Spring Break ***(43 of 60 BC SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE 2 WEEK SPRING BREAK),
My kids were sick for the whole week spring break and were not ready to go back (our relatives in other 2 week districts said there kids are always raring/ready to get back to school fully refreshed after 2 week Spring Break)
2 Weeks seems like a no brainer.
Many opposed to 2 weeks say daycare is the issue – SCHOOLS ARE NOT DAYCARES!
2 Weeks – the benefits outweigh the costs. Whatever I did for one week break I will just do for two and maybe take an extra day off to play with my kids…maybe take them sledding
I prefer a 2 week break for those hardworking students and teacher. I find that 1 week is just not enough for our kids to relax and enjoy the family time. I am a working mom and would love to spend time with my kids for longer than 1 week. Adding another week to spring break would not only benefit the kids it would also benefit the teachers and parents. The teacher would get a break and the parents would get to spend time with their children. A 2 week break also allows for parents to take their children on vacation helping them relax and go back to school with a fresh brain. This way we can spend some time with our children without having to wait till summer vacation which by then the kids are all tired and dont want to go anywhere.
I find that a 2 week break would be most beneficial for not only the children but the staff members. The 2 week vacation allows for the children as well as the teachers to relax and enjoy their vacation thoroughly. Although their are some disadvantages of having a 2 week break there is always a solution. We shouldn’t discard this idea just because of daycare. School should not be considered as daycare