Survey time
The District Parent Advisory Council, which represents parent groups across the city, is circulating a survey in order to gather feedback from parents and guardians about the school calendar.
The Vancouver School Board closed schools for an extra 10 days for the past two school years to save money. Last year, more than $1 million was saved to help offset the $8.3 million budget shortfall.
A few minutes extra were added each day to make up for the lost time, but some parents, particular those who need childcare, have complained about how many four-day weeks their children have had with district days off and professional days. Other families enjoy the additional time together.
COPE has called for five school days to be added back onto the calendar, partly because it argues the revised calendar is bad for vulnerable students.
One of the 10 DPAC survey questions asks if adding extra minutes of instruc-tion each day adequately compensates for the 10 closure days, while another asks if district closure days are a benefit to respondents' families.
Additional questions ask if high school classes should start and end later and whether students at both elementary and high school have enough time for lunch.
A final decision on the 2012-13 school calendar will be made in time for publication and distribution of the calendar by May 31, 2012.
Comments about the calendar can also be sent to [email protected]
Cover story
This week's cover story features a mentorship program between Windermere public school and St. George's independent school.
I visited the students several times before I wrote the article and was struck by how close the two groups have become in a short time.
Check out the online photo gallery at vancourier.com, shot by photographers Dan Toulgoet and Jason Lang. They captured the essence of the relationship beautifully through the students' interactions on the basketball court and in the classroom.
[email protected] Twitter: @Naoibh
