NLSD To Have 197-Day School Year

NLSD To Have 197-Day School Year

Wednesday, May 04, 2011 at 14:32

 

 

The Northern Lights School division has passed a motion mandating that all of its schools use a 197-day school year.

 

The decision was passed at a meeting in April.

 

Currently, just one school in the division is utilizing a different calendar.

 

The school, which is on the west side, keeps its students in class for 30 minutes longer each day.

 

The trade-off is the kids got to go home earlier in the summer resulting in a school-year that’s 18 days shorter.

 

The lone school tried the experiment as a way to address declining student attendance in the month of June.

 

However, board chairman for Northern Lights, Larry Ahenakew, says the division wants to keep students in class for more instructional days, not fewer.

 

He explains research has shown kids tend to forget more material the longer they’re out of school.