Kamloops parents have mixed reaction to shorter spring break

The decision by the Kamloops Thompson school board to return to a one-week spring break has been met with mixed reaction from parents.

School trustees voted four-to-three on Monday night to return to a shortened break.

The Kamloops Thompson School District is now only one of seven districts out of 60 in B.C. that have a one-week break, the rest take two weeks.

"I'm just flabbergasted that they would choose to make this move," said parent Jenny McNeil-Gayfer.

The decision comes despite an online survey which revealed teachers and parents preferred a longer break.

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"That the elected board of trustees would go against what the clear message was of what teachers and parents wanted was very shocking," said McNeil-Gayfer.

McNeil-Gayfer said the two-week break appeals to families who want to take holidays, "it's the only time of year outside of summer when we can take a planned holiday and not have the kids out of school."

Children need time to relax at school

On the other hand, parents like Tanja Hasler and Tina Hepner are in support.

Not only because it can be hard for parents to find alternative child care during the break; but as Hepner said, a shortened break could mean kids have more time to relax at school.

"It's all fine and well to stretch out spring break to two weeks," Hepner said, "but when it comes at the cost of children having outside playtime where they can truly socialize with their peers, exercise and relax, I think it's a tragedy so I'm thrilled."

'It was a hard decision'

Meghan Wade is the chair of the Kamloops Thompson school board.

She says the two-week break was a trial period and there wasn't a lot of evidence that the longer break was an "educationally-sound decision."

Speaking with Daybreak Kamloops host Shelley Joyce, Wade said, "there was some very serious discussion at the board level on this... it was a hard decision and they did their job."

Wade said much of the discussion centred around "our most vulnerable families and learners," and how being out of school for two weeks impacts them.

The changes come into effect in the 2017/2018 school year.

A draft of next year's school calendar is expected to be made available in February.

The original decision to switch to a two-week break was debated in 2013.

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