Parents should plan for kids to have an additional day off school in April, if a motion is approved by the Simcoe County District School Board this week.
Scheduling a new Professional Activity (PA) Day in the current school year was a "key term of the settlements" negotiated centrally with the elementary and secondary school teachers.
Simcoe County trustees will vote on a report by Jackie Kavanagh, Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) Superintendent of Education at the January 20 board meeting, which recommends April 15, "In order to ensure that this additional PA day is a meaningful professional learning opportunity for everyone."
The additional PA Day raises the number scheduled each school year to seven.
It's the first time the SCDSB has added a PA Day part way through a school year.
The topics for this additional PA day, as directed by the ministry, are:
Secondary teachers - Ministry priorities – Achieving Excellence, Ensuring Equity
Elementary teachers - 1/2 PA day Ministry priority – Promoting Well-being 1/2 PA day Ministry priority - Achieving Excellence
As a result, the minimum number of instructional days per school year is reduced by one to 187 days.
