School calendars expected to reflect district needs

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Passing of Bill 36 earlier this year means individual school districts now have the flexibility to offer creative scheduling to suit the needs of students.

School Amendment Act 2012 eliminated the Standard School Calendar and the new regulation implements a framework for districts to establish their own calendars beginning with the 2013/2014 school year.

For public schools, boards will be able to determine the number and dates of days in session, the number of dates of each day of instruction, the days of vacation periods and the dates of non-instructional days such as professional development days.

The Ministry of Education will continue to set the minimum number of instructional hours. Districts will also be required to consult the public before finalizing their school calendars.

Removal of barriers to personalized learning and greater flexibility and choice in terms of where, when and how students learn is the aim of the bill, according to the ministry.