Balanced calendar nothing new for Surrey schools (Part II)

Photo courtesy: Google Images

History repeats itself

In 2010, the Surrey school district again revisited the idea of having a balanced calendar school year.

The document entitled “Summary of Discussion from Annual Regional Forums,” was a report led by Dr. Barbara Holmes, ex-director of research, communications and safe schools in the Surrey school district and currently an adjunct professor at UBC.

Read the document here: Proposed Balanced Calendar 2010 (Topic 1)

The report stated 47 per cent of comments were negative or critical of installing a balanced calendar in Surrey schools. Though, the 47 per cent of comments were neither a vote for or against, merely opinions.

Nonetheless, staff addressed iterated the need for students to have a summer break to “recharge,” and, if not province-wide, the initiative could cause students to change schools to districts with a traditional schedule.

Others voiced revisionist suggestions such as extending Thanksgiving and May long weekend to 1-week long breaks or providing students with Fridays off. As well, a push for a pilot project to test the waters was advanced.

The ideas, in the end, were nothing more than the same possibilities and questions examined seven years prior.

Board of Education Chair, Shawn Wilson, said the entire balanced calendar proposal was not well received.

“The teachers were lukewarm, for the principals, secretaries and TAs, it was more problematic.”

It is a unionized workforce, reminded Wilson, thereby hinting that to affect change widespread support must be attained.

“Many are so conditioned to the current schedule.”

The current situation

The B.C. government’s September announcement ensure no change would come into effect for school until the following school year, if any change to scheduling would be at all.

But, even after a decade worth of mulling over the idea, it is still unlikely that Surrey schools will shift to a balanced schedule for the 2013-14 year.

Wilson was clear when he stated, “our schedule will not be altered for next year.”

“I also don’t believe the ministry would say to schools they must change,” added Wilson.

So, for the time being, Surrey students can rest assured their summer breaks will remain because the ordeal, like most bureaucratic processes, it is a slow work in progress.

Balanced calendar nothing new for Surrey schools (Part I)

Photo courtesy: Google Images.

Janet Steffenhagen, Vancouver Sun reporter and blogger, posted a piece discussing the possible balanced calendar approach for B.C. students (i.e. full-year schooling) once the 2013-14 school year arrives.

Last September, B.C. Education Minister George Abbott announced the end of the traditional school year come Fall 2013, but for Surrey, this is nothing new and is likely not to affect change in the near future.

Something Steffenhagen only mentions in brief.

An elaboration on Surrey

The topic of balancing the school calendar in Surrey first erupted in 2003 said Shawn Wilson, chair of Surrey’s board of education.

The district drew up recommendations to consider a balanced school schedule, among other potential approaches, given the government’s legislative changes made to the School Act in 2002, which permitted districts to vary its student calendars and schedules.

The report was commissioned by Dr. F. I. Renihan who was then, CEO and Supt. of the Surrey school district.

It examined a number of potential approaches to changing the school calendar: extended school holidays, the four-day school week, balanced calendar, flexible schedule and preparation time alternative were all discussed at length.

The balanced calendar approach was seen as a worthy pilot project to test, however whether this was conducted or not is still being researched.

The four-day work week was viewed as something best fit to “small, rural communities,” and preparation time alternative did not fit the amended School Act legislation then.

Extended school holidays and flexible scheduling, both broad and less-invasive approaches, were seen as possible avenues.

Read the full report here: School Calendar Committee Report 2003

More to come…