Background:

Pursuant to the School Act and the School Calendar Regulation a Board must prepare a school calendar for each school in its district for each school calendar year. The Ministry sets a prescribed minimum number of instructional hours which the Board must offer to students enrolled in its schools. The District will typically set a District-wide calendar with input from partner groups.

Procedures:

1. The Superintendent or designate will convene the district Calendar Committee to consider possible local District calendar options and make recommendations to the Superintendent. The Calendar Committee has representatives from the district’s partner groups including WVAA, WVTA, WVMEA and WVDPAC. Other individuals may be included on the committee at the discretion of the Superintendent.

2. The Calendar Committee will survey their members, and the community, if necessary, to help build consensus. In order ensure system stability, the Committee is encouraged to make recommendations for more than one (1) year at a time.

3. Any calendar option that is considered will ensure that requirements for instructional time are met, and that the calendar is consistent with the goal of improving student learning.

4. Once the Calendar Committee prepares a recommendation, the local calendar will be brought to the Board by the Superintendent for consideration.

5. The Board will make the school calendar publicly available for a time period of one month before submitting the calendar to the minister.

6. Pursuant to the School Act and School Calendar Regulation, The Board will submit the school calendar for the next school year to the Minister on or before March 31 of the current school year.

7. The District will make available, in accordance with the regulations, a school calendar for the following school year to every parent of a student in the school on or before May 31 of each school year.