WATCH ABOVE: Students at a handful of Edmonton Catholic Schools returned back to school as part of the school board’s year-round schooling program. Michel Boyer reports.
EDMONTON — While it’s still summer holidays for many, hundreds of Edmonton students enrolled in year-round schooling headed back to class bright and early Monday morning.
“It’s a little different because my brothers are still at home sleeping but it’s kind of fun. I miss my friends,” said Queen Rubayita, a Grade 9 student at St. Catherine Elementary/Junior High.
Just over 1,300 students with three Edmonton Catholic Schools are enrolled in the year-round program. Kids at Mother Teresa Elementary, St. Catherine Elementary/Junior High and St. Alphonsus Elementary/Junior High get six weeks off in the summer compared to the eight most other Alberta students have off.
Students also have two weeks off in October, two weeks in December and another two weeks for spring break. It adds up to the same amount of education hours as those who are enrolled from September to June.
“It was really a good calendar for a lot of parents who can’t take eight weeks off in the summer,” said Lori Nagy with Edmonton Catholic Schools. “It’s done very well at these three schools.”
Nagy said the year-round option also stops the learning gap many have during the summer.
“A lot of teachers say September is really just review. With these students having five or six weeks off, depending on the school calendar, they come back and they have a lot of retention of what they learned in June,” she explained.
While some were a bit reluctant to head back to class on a sunny summer day, most students at St. Catherine School were excited.
“It’s just to come and have fun and learn more things,” said Obssa Wega, a Grade 7 student. “I’m ready to go.”
“Most of our kids are really excited about coming back,” said Genife Maccuish, a teaching assistant at St. Catherine School. “They said staying home for two months is too long, they are excited and looking forward to see their friends.”
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