Nanaimo students are enjoying their second week of spring break this week.
For commuters, this means quieter roads around schools. For businesses, maybe more students in stores during the day.
The school district wants to know how lengthening the spring break from one week to two has impacted families, school district employees and students this year.
People can submit their feedback via an online survey on the district’s website – www.sd68.bc.ca – write or fax in comments or make a presentation to trustees at a public meeting on April 4. The reason for the public consultation is that trustees are considering keeping the two-week spring break next school year.
The rationale is the same as it was last spring when trustees voted to extend the break this year – to save money and balance the books.
I am curious to know what people think about the two-week break because for the most part, people were silent on the issue last year, except for outrage expressed by the support workers’ union – the employees most affected by the calendar change – and a bit of grumbling from the teachers’ union.
The district received 1,217 responses to its online survey, with 62 per cent in favour of the change, 31 per cent opposed and seven per cent neutral.
But parents were silent at public meetings held to discuss the issue. Representatives from the District Parent Advisory Council said they believed extending spring break was a better alternative than classroom cuts.
Perhaps an extra week off is popular with most parents. It gives some families with the time and money a chance to take a longer trip.
But how many Nanaimo families are struggling to find the money to put their children in daycare for that extra week? How many don’t have the money to take the time off work and must leave their children to fend for themselves?
I talked with one trustee in Abbotsford last spring after that school board announced the district would go back to a one-week spring break from the two weeks, despite opposition from parents, teachers and students who wanted to keep the two weeks.
I noticed that since I talked with Korky Neufeld, Abbotsford school board vice-chairman, trustees decided to keep the two weeks, but at the time, he told me the board was concerned about the impact the extra time off was having on the district’s vulnerable learners.
He said teachers told trustees that struggling learners who took summer school were better prepared to learn in the fall and trustees believed that even that extra week at spring break could make a difference.
The estimated $500,000 savings for the Nanaimo district are in utilities and wages of support workers such as custodians, secretaries and education assistants, as well as teachers-on-call.
The support workers union has been vocal about the impact of losing an extra week’s wages – some members already live below the poverty line and piece together several part-time positions to make ends meet.
Extra minutes are added onto the school day to make up for the time off, but Rob Zver, president of CUPE Local 606, said that only teachers work those extra minutes, while support workers have the same start and finish times.
I’m sure residents will hear from these workers at the public meeting next month. I also hope some parents come out.
Perhaps many students had an educational holiday, but how many spent two weeks watching TV on the couch and how did that impact their education?
And after all the number crunching is done, did the extra week actually save the district $500,000?
It should be a good discussion.
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
