Limestone District School Board considers introducing week-long fall break

The Limestone District School Board is exploring a “potential idea” that would see the introduction of a new fall break for students and staff.

In an update to families Thursay, Krishna Burra, director of education for the school board, said, “Our thinking is to start the school year the week prior to Labour Day at the end of August which would allow us to create a fall break at the end of October or early November.”

According to Burra’s update, the introduction of a week-long break in the fall “would not impact other traditional breaks in December/January, March, or the rest of July/August.”

Burra says the school board is exploring the fall break option “due to increases in absences that typically occur in November for LDSB students and staff. Other well-being data also suggests that breaking up the period from Labour Day to the December/January break may be beneficial for students and staff.”

The move to introduce a fall break would not happen for the next school year. Planning for the 2023-24 school-year calendar has begun and the Limestone District School Board is seeking feedback from families on two potential options.

One option would see a student and staff start date of Sept. 5, 2023, while the second would see a student start date of Sept. 6, 2023, that would following a PA day for teachers.

The options for the next school year are also being submitted to Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board and Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, as the school board schedules need to align for busing.

The school board is collecting feedback on the options for the fall, along with the potential idea of starting early to introduce a fall break, in an online survey that will be open until Feb. 21.