Students within southwestern Ontario's largest school board will again get one extra day of summer vacation this September.
The Thames Valley District School Board has approved the 2024-2025 academic calendar, which designates the first day of school as a professional activity (PA) day and pushes the first day of classes to Wednesday, September 4. This is the fifth consecutive year a PA day has been scheduled for the day after Labour Day.
"We have chosen in the last five years to put the PA Day at the start of the school year because we feel that is the most effective place to put it and it has the biggest return on investment for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our students," said Paul Sydor, the board's superintendent of student achievement.
He explained to trustees at Tuesday night's meeting that the day is used for health and safety training for teachers. This can include de-escalation and anti-violence training and onboarding new school staff. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this PA Day and the health and safety training provided did not happen until later in September.
"What we learned [during that time] was the benefit to students and to our staff of doing all of our health and safety training for educators before any of our students arrived in school," said Sydor. "What started in 2020 as a necessity to respond to the pandemic has become a standing best practice to support our students' physical and mental health and wellbeing."
The plan to continue holding the PA Day on what would traditionally be the first day of classes was met with push back from some trustees who noted complaints from parents.
"It is an inconvenience to many families," said Trustee Sherri Moore. "We as trustees hear about that at the start of the year and there is a perception we do it without consideration for the families."
A survey sent to Thames Valley parents in January found half were against the day after Labour Day being a PA Day.
Trustee Sheri Polhill noted no matter whether the September PA Day falls the day after Labour Day or later in the month it is hard for parents.
"It is difficult for parents to navigate the PA days and find child care no matter where we place them," said Polhill.
She then went on to highlight the importance of teachers to be properly trained before kids are in the classroom.
"We are navigating mental health, increased bullying, acts of violence within our schools," said Polhill. "We have all received emails that student learning is being affected by a student that can't be de-escalated in the classroom. That's not good for the student, the class or the teacher if the reason is that the teacher is starting the school year without those skills. That PA Day is giving teachers those skills to start off the year so that they can de-escalate and manage their classrooms."
While it was suggested the health and safety training be provided to teachers before Labour Day, that idea was quickly struck down as it would not be contractually allowed under deals struck with teachers' unions. The agreement states that PA Days can only be held before the September stat if the board is unable to fit 194 school days between Labour Day and the end of June.
The Thames Valley District School Board and London District Catholic School Board operate off of the same academic calendar. Catholic school board trustees approved the 2024-2025 calendar on Monday.
