The Central Okanagan School Board of Education has proposed to keep a two-week spring break for students in the district in the 2020/2021 school year.
If the decision is approved, spring break would occur between March 15 and March 26 in 2021 for students.
In the Central Okanagan school board’s agenda for March 11, Superintendent of Central Okanagan Public Schools Kevin Kaardal, voiced his support for the decision.
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“The additional week of spring break saves the district approximately $670,000 (each year),” said Kaardal.
“Over the past sixteen years that a two week spring break has been in place, community programs have developed to support parents in childcare such as sports camps.”
According to results from a four-question survey in the agenda, 74 per cent of parents also showed continued support for a two-week spring break.
Despite the support, CUPE Local 3523 president David Tether said his union has some issues with the current proposed 2020-2021 school calendar.
“CUPE 3523’S position remains that losing pay for the extra week of spring break is a serious hardship for our 10-month members,” said Tether in an open letter to the director of human resources at Central Okanagan Public Schools.
“We cannot support the extra week of spring break unless SD23 is willing to support extra minutes per working day to 10-month employees.”
Councillors will discuss keeping the two-week spring break at a meeting on March 11.
A final 2020-2021 school calendar must be submitted to the B.C. Minister of Education by March 31, 2020.
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