School Year Calendar 2012-2013
The school year commences Tuesday, September 4, 2012 with an instructional day and ends on Friday, June 28, 2013 with a Professional Activity Day. Instructional classes commence on Tuesday, September 4, 2012 and end on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (Labour Day September, 3, 2012). Christmas Break commences Monday, December 24, 2012 and concludes Friday, January 4, 2013. Classes resume Monday, January 7, 2013. March Break commences on Monday, March 11 and concludes on Friday, March 15, 2013. Classes resume on Monday, March 18, 2013.
(Click on the calendar thumbnail at to view full size.)
There will be six professional activity days are scheduled as follows:Friday, September 28, 2012, Friday, November 2, 2012, Thursday, January 31, 2013, Friday, April 19, 2013, Friday, June 7, 2013, Friday, June 28, 2013
Can someone provide an explanation as to why there is a PA day scheduled on a Thursday in January 2013? For kids, It seems silly to go back to school for one Friday following a day off. For working parents, Mondays and Fridays are generally much easier to schedule off-time or other activities for kids.
Sincerely
C. Keelan
parent, Hamlet Public School
Dear C. Keelan,
Thank you for your question. It is not actually uncommon for PA days to land on a day other than Monday or Friday. The January 31, 2013 PA day was chosen by both school boards as a way of handling the semester turnaround at secondary schools and having professional development opportunities for all staff. Since we are required by the Ministry of Education to have the identical number of school days in both the 1st and 2nd semesters, this often dictates the date that this particular PD or PA day is scheduled. In addition, it would not be economically efficient if we had different days for secondary and elementary, as our transportation costs would be the same since elementary and secondary students in rural areas ride the buses together.
Steve Howe
Manager of Communications