The School Year Calendar

Objective

To provide direction and clarity related to the development of the Division’s school year calendar.

Definitions

Please refer to Board Policy GCA.BP Approval of the School Year Calendar for the definitions of the following terms: Day of significance, operational day, professional development day, school year calendar and teachers’ days-in-lieu. 

Regulation

1. SCHEDULING REQUIREMENTS
   
   1. The school year calendar must adhere to collective agreement requirements, and applicable federal and provincial statutes and regulations.
   2. The school year calendar must include the following breaks for students:
      1. Saturdays and Sundays.
      2. Fall, winter, spring and summer breaks.
         1. Each year, the fall break will be scheduled in alignment with the Collective Agreement for teachers.
         2. Each year, the winter break will be scheduled for two full consecutive weeks, commencing on a Monday and inclusive of December 24 and January 2.
         3. Each year, the spring break will be scheduled for one full week commencing on the last Monday of March, inclusive of Good Friday or Easter Monday should either of these days occur during the five day interval. Should the Alberta Education testing schedules not allow for this start date, spring break will begin on an alternate Monday.
         4. Each year, the summer break will commence for students the day after the last scheduled Alberta Education testing date (Provincial Achievement Test or Diploma Examination, whichever is later).
      3. General holidays, as mandated by the Alberta Employment Standards Code and/or collective agreements.
      4. Days-in-lieu for parent-teacher interviews, as mandated by the Collective Agreement for teachers.
      5. Two days for teachers’ convention, as required by Section 205(1)(d) of the Education Act.
      6. Professional development days, as required by the Collective Agreement for teachers.
   3. The school year calendar must include a minimum of one operational day for opening the school and one operational day for closing the school, as required by the Collective Agreement for teachers.
   4. At the secondary level, the calendar should be balanced between two semesters.
2. DAYS OF SIGNIFICANCE
   1. In accordance with Board Policy GCA.BP Approval of the School Year Calendar, days of significance will be included in the school year calendar as breaks for students subject to compliance with all collective agreement requirements, and applicable federal and provincial statutes and regulations.
3. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
   1. The Superintendent has the authority to modify the school calendar to meet the needs of individual schools.
   2. Schools that follow modified calendars must have approval of the Superintendent on an annual basis and must meet the minimum instructional hours mandated by Alberta Education.

References