Despite parental pushback, school year will begin again with PD day

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More than 100,000 students in the London area will return to school next month a day later than in the past, a trend that started during the pandemic.

The first day of school for both the Thames Valley and London District Catholic school boards is Wednesday, Sept. 4, because Sept. 3 is a professional development day for teachers, said Craig Smith, president of the Thames Valley district of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.

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Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the day after Labour Day traditionally was the first day of classes.

“It’s a work day of ministry training,” Smith said.

It’s a practice that began during the pandemic and one that officials want to continue, despite pushback from parents, a board superintendent told Thames Valley trustees in February when they approved the school calendar.

“What we learned from those two years (of the pandemic) was the benefit to students and our staff to do all of our health and safety training for educators before any of our students arrived at school,” said Paul Sydor, superintendent of student achievement for the board.

“We feel it is the most effective place to put (the PA day) as return on investment to support the mental health and well-being for all of our students,” Sydor said.

Professional development days, during which students stay home and teachers go to work for training and workshops, can’t be held before Labour Day, under the board’s labour deal with teachers, unless the board is unable to fit 194 school days between Labour Day and the end of June.

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But in a January survey, Thames Valley parents pushed back on the number and timing of professional activity days for the coming school year, including having one on Tuesday after Labour Day, a just-released staff report states.

“PA days pose financial (and) child-care challenges for parents,” the report states.

Trustee Sherri Moore noted at the February board meeting that the scheduling is “an inconvenience for many families that we, as trustees, hear about and there is a perception that we do it without consideration for the families.”

Teachers get seven professional activity days throughout the school year. Besides Sept. 3, PA days will fall on Oct. 11, Nov. 15, Jan. 17, April 11, May 30 and June 27 for Thames Valley schools.

The London District Catholic school board approved the same academic calendar at a board meeting in February.

hrivers@postmedia.com

@HeatheratLFP

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