Board Policies & Administrative Procedures

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Administrative Procedure 130: SCHOOL YEAR/DIVISION CALENDAR

Background
The Board shall be responsible for defining the school year and establishing the annual school year calendar in harmony with the requirements of Alberta Education.

Procedures

  1. The Superintendent shall present to the Board a proposed/draft calendar no later than the December Board Meeting.
  2. The draft Division calendar shall accommodate instructional hours and provisions specified in Administrative Procedure 131 – School Day. Efforts will be made to balance the number of instructional days in semester one and semester two.
  3. When Labour Day falls on September 1, 2, 3, or 4, the first day for students may be after Labour Day; when Labour Day falls on September 5, 6, or 7, students may start before Labour Day.
  4. Vacation breaks shall be provided as follows:
    1. Ten (10) “Statutory” holidays (Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Victoria Day).
    2. Christmas Break of up to fourteen (14) calendar days.
    3. Easter/Spring Break of at least nine (9) calendar days.
  5. Consideration shall be given to non-instructional days as follows:
    1. Recognition of time for parent/teacher conferences – no less than two (2) days.
    2. Two (2) teacher convention days.
    3. Professional Development/Professional Learning Days, as needed.
      1. Time for structured teacher growth and collaboration.
    4. Staff work days before students return in the fall and after student(s) leave in the summer.
  1. The draft calendar, as approved by the Board, shall be circulated to the following groups for input and recommendations, to be received by the Board prior to the March Board Meeting.
    1. Principals and staffs.
    2. Alberta Teachers’ Association Local Council.
    3. School councils.
    4. Division Professional Development Committee.
  2. The Board will review the recommendations and then approve the final calendar, by resolution, no later than the April Board Meeting.
  3. A copy of the approved calendar will be distributed to all schools no later than April 30 and a copy provided to Alberta Education before May 31.

Reference
Section 18, 19, 52, 53, 60, 205, 222 Education Act
Section 25 Employment Standards Code
Teachers’ Collective Agreement
Classified Handbook
Guide to Education ECS to Grade 12

Approved: May 1, 2012

Amended: January 7, 2014; August 21, 2018; July, 2021; January 2023