ST. PAUL – St. Paul Education board of trustees discussed options about how the 2025-26 school calendar will look like during the board of trustees meeting on Jan. 22.
The two draft calendars, completed after recent surveys, show one option with a full fall break from Nov. 10 to 14, and another with a partial fall break from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12.
The full fall break calendar also sees students returning to class on Aug. 28, a few days before Labour Day on Sept. 1, while the partial fall break calendar starts school on Sept. 2.
Both calendars have 193 operational days.
Trustee Dwight Wiebe asked for some opinions on whether to start school before or after the Labour Day weekend from school representatives present during the meeting.
New Myrnam School Principal Danielle Eriksen said, “I don’t feel strongly one way or another,” but if she had to pick between the two draft calendars, she would prefer starting school after the Labour Day weekend.
Stephanie Earle, the local Alberta Teachers Association representative in attendance, as well as an elementary school teacher at Elk Point Elementary School, said she recalled a school calendar in the past that started school before Labour Day.
“We just had so many kids that weren't there. That makes it difficult, because you're trying to establish your routines, get everything organized, and then you have to do it again when the kids come after the long weekend,” she said.
Ashmont School Principal Corina Idzan said she was OK with either calendar. If school starts before the Labour Day weekend, it gives teachers the opportunity to establish routines earlier. Meanwhile, if students return after the long weekend, “You can just dive right in.”
“The first couple days [of school] are chaotic regardless,” said Idzan.
Following more discussion, the board moved to share the drafts with principals and school councils for more feedback before the finalization of the 2025-26 school calendar.
