Vancouver school districts senior management team is recommending staff prepare a report to the board on the feasibility of adopting a balanced calendarbetter known as year-round schoolfor the University Hill family of schools.
Year-round school involves lengthening the school year, shortening the summer break and adding longer breaks between sessions.
The suggested presentation date for the feasibility report, which would include details such as options for the calendar, suggested public consultation, staffing implications, the impact on families, and pros and cons, is the spring of 2013.
The University Hill family of schools is expandingit will include two elementary schools and one secondary school. University Hill elementary school is at 5395 Chancellor Blvd., while University Hill secondary is being moved from 2896 Acadia Rd. to the old National Research Council building thats being renovated at 4250 Wesbrook Mall.
A new elementary school will be built at the Acadia Road site.
The year-round schooling recommendation is one of 30 senior management team recommendations stemming from the districts sectoral review of its schools and servicesthe recommendations are being presented at the VSBs management coordinating meeting later today (June 25).
Deputy superintendent Jordan Tinney said senior staff debated whether it would be best to examine the feasibility of a balanced calendar at a large or small number of schools. Most groups of related schools include at least six schools, while the University Hill group only includes three.
Its got few schools in it, so the impact on the number of schools would be smaller, explained Tinney. Of course the whole notion of the university lifestyle is deeply tied to the university timetable, which in some ways lends itself to a balanced yearthey offer sessions all year. So we thought if were going to take a look at one area and were really going to take a chance to examine the feasibility of a balanced calendar, then it would be as good a place as any to start.
Senior staff hasnt yet consulted with parents or teachers. Tinney explained its the first time the recommendation is being presented and senior staff would formulate consultation plans if the recommendation were approved.
Tinney said hes not sure how families or teachers will react.
The balanced calendar is something that when you go to talk about changing a school calendar, you really find out how deeply entrenched the school year is in the life of a communityso I expect when we go out and we talk to the community that youre going to get some people who find it inventive and creative and who are very supportive and I think youre going to find people who are absolutely opposed.
Its too early to say what would happen if year-round schooling is implemented and some families remain opposed to it, he added.
The big thing about the recommendation is its a report on the feasibility, so we havent even begun the road of consultation. We dont know how strong the reaction would be one way or the other or what we would do about some logistics such as if they did go with a balanced calendar and a family absolutely didnt want it, then what would happen, Tinney said.
Twitter: @Naoibh
