Leave Summer Alone

What’s This All About?

Is summer as we know it in B.C. really in jeopardy? Well...hopefully not, but maybe it is. Thanks for being interested in this issue. Read on!

The B.C. Government introduced Bill 36 (“School Amendment Act, 2012”) in April 2012 and they hope to pass it in May 2012.

If Bill 36 goes through, it will eliminate mandatory school calendars in B.C. and allow each school district across the province to set their own school calendar. This opens the door to the possibility of year-round schooling or what some call a “balanced” calendar. School districts could have different calendars all across the province.

The B.C. Ministry of Education explains that each school district can already set their own calendar, and that Bill 36 simply removes the “perception” that they cannot do so. The Ministry believes that each school district should decide their own school schedule.

What Are Some Implications Of Year-Round Schooling?

Our current school calendar provides for a full-length summer that is typically 9 weeks long. A year-round school calendar is very different. There are various models, but all include changing the current traditional, full-length summer schedule. Typically the 12 month year is broken into sections, with a break that varies from 3 to 5 weeks between the sections.

Here are some of the disadvantages of a year-round school calendar:

  • Brothers and sisters as well as children of teachers could all be on different schedules.
  • If each school district can set their own calendar, it could be very difficult to book vacations with extended family that are in another school district.
  • High school students looking for summer jobs would be at a disadvantage if their summer vacation is only 4 weeks.
  • It may be difficult for many kids to concentrate in school in July or August.
  • Many schools are not set up to run in the heat of summer.
  • Many organizations cater to kids and families in the summer, and they require a full-length summer to be viable. Many of these options may not be possible if there is a shorter summer. It will also be difficult for these organizations to plan without the knowledge of a calendar that applies to almost everyone.

Here are some advantages of the traditional, full-length summer break:

  • Summer is the best time of year for kids to be outside and enjoy the great outdoors of BC!
  • Summer is an ideal time for kids to explore & re-charge.
  • Summer provides kids space to process what has been learned over the year and space to prepare for a new year.
  • Summer provides teachers a much-needed break and time to renew and re-charge.

Plus... Summer Camp As We know It Would Change

We believe so strongly in what happens in the summer when kids come to camps across BC that we want to do everything we can to protect summer. Here are just a few of the implications of year-round schooling for summer camps:

  • Camps will have far fewer spaces available in the summer for kids (and families if they run family camps), meaning that less kids will be able to come to camp in the summer (the best-weather time of year in B.C.)
  • Getting enough staff to run camp would be a very big challenge. Camp staff are often college-age young adults. The semesters at colleges and universities would not line up well with when breaks occurred in the year-round school schedule. Plus, college and university students are looking for jobs that last longer than 3 to 5 weeks.
  • Camps would not be able to run their full waterfront programs in the non-summer months such as April. At Qwanoes, our waterfront is one of the biggest features of a week at camp.
  • To be able to run week-long programs in the non-summer months, camps would have to winterize many or all facilities, bringing huge financial implications.

Should Each School District Decide The School Calendar On Their Own?

It is true that different school districts have different needs... it is recognized that there are various views on this issue and we respect those views and the people who hold them. Here are our thoughts...

The Ministry of Education already mandates and gives direction to school districts on many things... for example, the number of instructional days and the curriculum. We suggest that leadership and guidance also be provided at the provincial level for the school calendar.

This would recognize the high value in B.C. of a full-length summer and the part it plays in our culture and the society. This guidance could be done in a way that allows for exceptions where needed... but preserve the preference for a full-length summer across districts and throughout B.C.

Leadership at the provincial level also recognizes that the decision of one school district affects people in other districts.

What You Can Do?

  1. Seek to understand the issue then take action. Your voice will be heard on this issue.
  2. If you share the vision of a traditional full-length summer break, encourage the Ministry of Education to adopt policies that recognize and preserve its value.
  3. Be a champion for our traditional full-length summer in B.C. Talk about this whenever it is appropriate.
  4. Express your views (of course, in a respectful, carefully thought out way) to your MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) by sending a letter (hand-written letters are especially effective), making a personal call, tweeting them, or sending an email. Here are some helpful links:
  5. Ask others to join in!
  6. Express your views to your local school board. If Bill 36 goes through, this will be vital as each school district will be setting its own school calendar.
  7. Some tips for writing/emailing your politicians: - Include your name and address. - Make it brief. - Use the formality of a letter if possible. - State your topic and purpose clearly. - Focus on a couple of important points. - Ask them to take concrete action. - Ask for a response. - Thank them and compliment them. - Avoid accusations and criticisms. - Personalize it.