(File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Education

PA Catholic School Division announces changes to schedule

Apr 9, 2024 | 5:00 PM

A combined time slot for recess and lunch for elementary school students, and an earlier dismissal, are among the latest changes announced by Prince Albert’s Catholic School Division, in response to the work-to-rule sanctions that were announced late last week by the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation.

The changes take effect on Thursday and according to a letter sent home to parents on Tuesday, will run until the job action ends.

“An earlier dismissal schedule will be implemented to maintain student safety due to the impact on noon supervision, and schools will dismiss the students early,” Director of Education Lorel Trumier wrote.

While there is no impact on the overall instructional time provided, classes will now end between 1:30 and 1:40 p.m. And during the course of the day, the two recess breaks and lunch hour at the elementary schools have now been combined into one 30-minute time slot.

In her statement, Trumier also advised the school and bus times will be adjusted.

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“School doors will be open 15 minutes before the instructional day begins and closed 15 minutes after the instructional day ends. Students can no longer be on school grounds/property before or after these times,” she said.

When paNOW reached out to a local daycare for comment, they were not sure if they could take on the extra children and also indicated the possibility of charging parents more in order to have additional staffing.

As per the STF’s work-to-rule sanctions, all extracurricular and school-led activities have been cancelled (before, during lunch and after school), and supervision is only being provided 15 minutes before and after school.

Earlier this week, the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division released its own statement and while acknowledging the end to extra-curricular activities and withdrawal of noon hour supervision, gave no indication to any changes to the overall daily schedule.

Director of Education Neil Finch also stated before and after school programs would continue to operate as normal.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell