Trustees vote to extend March school break to two weeks

NEWS — Kamloops school trustees gave a narrow stamp of approval tonight (Monday) to doubling spring break to two weeks starting next school year.

Radio NL reported the board voted 4-3 in favour of the change. It came after months of committee work and waiting for the OK from the district’s two unions. Results last week of a vote by members of the Kamloops-Thompson Teachers Association showed they were strongly in favour.

The issue came up in March of last year and again in December when Supt. Terry Sullivan presented the board with a proposal for changes to the school calendar that included the two-week break.

Concerns included the impact on facilities and transportation, possible loss of wages for some employees, and child care costs for families.

Sullivan said the aim was to make a two-week March break cost neutral. “Ideally there will be no increase in savings nor would there be any increase in cost.”

Lunch hours will be shortened to make up for the lost class time.

The new two-week break will be in effect for school years 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. It will be reviewed at the end of the three years.