For a second year, Saint-Louis Academy is sending its primary and secondary students home for a fall break. Two main reasons explain this decision by the school: viruses and travel.
This is still a relatively recent thought. […] which resulted from the student absenteeism rate in November
explains Ann Webber, general director of the Saint-Louis Academy.
Staff and parents were consulted before taking action – but the approval rate being relatively high in both cases – the private establishment decided to repeat the experience in the fall of 2024.
Obviously, it takes the 180 school days and the 20 educational days, it was mainly a movement of these days in the school calendar.
During this holiday period, which will run from November 18 to 22 this year, daycare will be offered to elementary school children as well as a day camp for older students.
Our goal when we established this pilot project was not to put parents in trouble with this new development, so we wanted to ensure that we provided them with quality service and, above all, that they could go about their business. if they couldn’t miss work.
Open in full screen mode
For the moment, the fall vacations at the Saint-Louis Academy are described as a pilot project, but management plans to survey its members to make this practice permanent.
Photo: Courtesy: Académie Saint-Louis
Académie Saint-Louis is far from the only private school to modify its calendar to give an extra week of spring break. Collège Saint-Charles-Garnier will also be on spring break next week.
« Good for motivation »
David Bowles, president of the Federation of Private Educational Establishments, notes that the integration of a spring break in November has become an increasingly common practice at the provincial level.
More breaks during the year can be very good for academic motivation, for learning so that young people can learn well. This is one of the choices that motivate schools
says David Bowles.
Start of widget. Skip the widget?End of widget. Return to start of widget?
One of the particularities of these holidays is that each school decides the most suitable time as long as the 180 school days are respected. For example, we would not want the government to impose it on the entire province and for everyone to move forward in the same way, we think that it is important for schools to adapt to their environment and to ‘only move forward if it’s best for them
adds David Bowles.
One of the challenges for some private schools is school transportation, which serves both public and private schools. Public school students are not taking a break. According to David Bowles, certain managements must negotiate and obtain agreements with the carrier, but, to his knowledge, no school has been slowed down in its project due to negotiation difficulties.
Start of widget. Skip the widget?End of widget. Return to start of widget?
As for public schools, a school in Abitibi-Témiscamingue has also established a week of fall vacation. In the greater Quebec region, - questioned school service centers. THE CSS of the Capital, the First Lordships and the Appalachians responded that vacations in the fall were not envisaged.
With information from Audrey Paris.
