The Bluewater District School Board is grappling with the problem of what to do with summer vacation this year.
School boards around the province are trying to figure out how to avoid starting school for students BEFORE the Labour Day weekend in September.
The problem is the long weekend comes late this year — and doesn’t leave the required number of teaching days between the Tuesday after labour day and the last day of school in June.
Bluewater District School Board Director of Education Mary Anne Alton says its an unusual situation and hasn’t happened in about 17 years.
She says while they haven’t had alot of feedback from parents yet — trustees are aware of the problems associated with sending the kids back to school before the long weekend.
Alton says they realize that particular weekend is important both economically to a tourist region relying on student labour as well as to families wanting to squeeze that last few days out of summer.
She says they’re currently in consultations with the Catholic and French school boards and will come up with a solution March 24th.
Its been suggested by the Education Minister that school boards use PD days ahead of the long weekend so students don’t have to return early.