Important dates for 2018-19 school year set

Students with the Central Okanagan School District will be heading back to school on Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Trustees unanimously approved the 2018/19 school calendar, Wednesday, which will have 183 instructional days.

In addition to all statutory holidays (which also includes Easter Monday and Remembrance Day), the winter vacation period will be from Dec. 24 through Jan. 4 and the spring vacation period from March 18 through March 29.

Other days off school for students due to administrative implementation and pro development are: Aug. 28-30, Oct. 5, Oct. 19, Nov. 13, Feb. 22 and June 28.

CUPE Local 3523 president David Tether, in correspondence to the board, opposes the two-week spring break.

"Losing pay for the extra week of spring break is a serious hardship for our 10-month members and, thus, we cannot support the extra week of spring break unless School District 23 is willing to support extra minutes per working day to 10-month employees," he wrote.

Board superintendent Kevin Kaardal said there's a savings of $566,000 by having spring break extended by one week.

Trustee Julia Fraser asked if the board would ever consider year-round schooling similar to what's done in two districts in B.C.

Kaardal said a move to year-round schooling would be drastic and require significant public consultation.

Kaardal said consideration is not given to neighbouring districts, but most of the school calendars across B.C. are "similar, but not identical."

The calendar is posted online at: www.sd23.bc.ca.