Dale Bass – Kamloops This Week
In a 5-3 vote, Kamloops-Thompson school trustees have approved a two-week March break for students.
Voting in favour of the two-week break were Denise Harper, Gerald Watson, Joan Cowden, John Harwood and Rhonda Kershaw.
Opposing the two-week break were trustees Annette Glover, Kathleen Karpuk and Cara McKelvey.Trustee Megan Wade was absent.
The week before last, teachers in Kamloops voted to approve the longer break.The issue was initiated by the school district as it sought to mesh its calendar with that in many other districts.
The extra week break at spring is also expected to result in some savings with respect to maintenance and heating of buildings.Board of education chairwoman Harper said it was a difficult decision for trustees because they know the extra week can create child-care problems for parents.
“But, the majority of the board was satisfied with the commitment to have camps, academies and programs” during the break for students to attend,” Harper said.
Harper said those options might be beneficial for students who may be struggling a subject and can attend a program that is focused on the subject.
The longer break begins in the 2014-2015 school year and can continue through the 2016-2017 school year.It will be reviewed at the end of the first year and, if it continues, will be reviewed again after the second year.
“That’s the reason many trustees could support it,” Harper said, “knowing there’s an exit plan.”
Harper said during the public-input stage last year, the majority of parents “were positive toward the concept of a two-week break.
“Trustee [Joan] Cowden, who was involved in all the public meetings and who has her own concerns about it, said that, by the time spring break rolls around, teachers and students are tired and need that break.”
