2009-2010 school year starting early / Worldskills / WTF?

[Jedi Ninja]

Apparently, the school year is starting 3 days early (on August 27) because of the World Skills competition and the teachers are getting 3 days off in lieu for this later in the year. From there, I've heard various rumours. In one rumour, there's no school at all the first week of September (apparently because the buses are being used by the skill competition, so the rumour goes). In another rumour, all the kids are going to attend the skills competitions (unlikely as no release forms have been signed and it would be a logistics nightmare). In the final rumour, the kids are going to spend the first week watching the competition on TV at school. If this last rumour is true, then somebody really needs to be shot in the head.

Anybody know for sure exactly what is going on?

[DOK]

That a lot of rumors!! I've seen signs around town saying school starts the end of August this year, but that's all I've heard.

[Jedi Ninja]

CBE website (note the Worldskills days aren't marked as days off on the school calendar)

http://www.cbe.ab.ca/New/Worldskills/default.asp

Only news article I've found on this so far:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...rldskills.html

[ken0042]

I know the Catholic Board gets and additional 3 days off at Thanksgiving- giving a 5 day weekend from October 9-13 inclusive.

[Jedi Ninja]

Ah, finally found it:

What will the school schedules be the week of August 31- September 4?
All schools will start and end at their regular times. There will be no late entry or early dismissal days. All schools are expected to run classes during that week. There will be no Staff Development or Professional Learning Community Days. Students will be in attendance all week.

Elementary schools on modified calendar may have a Parent/Student/Teacher interview day when there are no classes, and students would attend for their interview time. Schools may also have a staggered kindergarten schedule that week. Each school will publish the information that applies to their school.

Junior and Senior highs will hold classes all week. The grade 9 and 10 students will visit the Competitions at the Stampede Grounds. Schools will choose to take their designated students for the visit all on one day or split the group over two or three days. Each school will publish the information that applies to their school.

[tanguay'sstillgood]

Originally Posted by Jedi Ninja

Apparently, the school year is starting 3 days early (on August 27) because of the World Skills competition and the teachers are getting 3 days off in lieu for this later in the year. From there, I've heard various rumours. In one rumour, there's no school at all the first week of September (apparently because the buses are being used by the skill competition, so the rumour goes). In another rumour, all the kids are going to attend the skills competitions (unlikely as no release forms have been signed and it would be a logistics nightmare). In the final rumour, the kids are going to spend the first week watching the competition on TV at school. If this last rumour is true, then somebody really needs to be shot in the head.

Anybody know for sure exactly what is going on?

Not exactly. Yes, the kids are going back early this year so SOME of them can go to the World Skills. Schools will be given an extra 3 days off throughout the year to make up for this because a)teachers are only under contract to work a specified number of days, and b)the government requires students get a specific number of school hours per year, so they can't just add 3 days on top of that.
Also, not all students are going. I teach at a high school and only the 10s are going for us, and they are only going on one day. The reason all schools go back early is because each day different schools will be taking their kids down there. Also, even though the event starts on Sept 1, we have to start earlier than that so that we actually know who our kids are. The days in August will let us get to know (a little bit) the grade 10s new to the school before we head to the grounds the following week. Unfortunately, the day the grade 19s go from a given school, the 11s and 12s are still expected to be at the school that day (even though most teachers will be away to satisfy supervision ratios). They weren't exactly sure how well that part would work when we left in June.

[Bertuzzied]

Not at SAIT. 1st day of class is on Sep 17th.

Why would world skills affect any other school?

[troutman]

I doubt that many kids will be showing up at school before Labour Day.

[Hack&Lube]

I wish I was young enough to be dreading the start of a new schoolyear again.

[Russic]

My wife is a teacher. I assure you she is not overly excited to help transport grade 9 kids down to the stampede ... using the ctrain. They are coming from the NE, which means they'll have to transfer downtown. It's going to be a nightmare.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Russic

My wife is a teacher. I assure you she is not overly excited to help transport grade 9 kids down to the stampede ... using the ctrain. They are coming from the NE, which means they'll have to transfer downtown. It's going to be a nightmare.

Going down won't be huge problem, it will be coming back when you have more trains heading to South than whatever the new station past Whitehorn is. Either way I don't envy your wife.

Edit: Well I guess I kinda of doing considering I'm about to start my Ed After Degree, but not for the whole Ctrain thing.

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Not at SAIT. 1st day of class is on Sep 17th.

Why would world skills affect any other school?

Mount Royal is Sept. 10th.

[flamesfan6]

Originally Posted by troutman

I doubt that many kids will be showing up at school before Labour Day.

then they are missing the 27th, 28th, and entire first week of school....

Labour day is not till the first weekend of september (5,6,7), so I don't think parents will do that to their kids (well most)

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by tanguay'sstillgood

Not exactly. Yes, the kids are going back early this year so SOME of them can go to the World Skills. Schools will be given an extra 3 days off throughout the year to make up for this because a)teachers are only under contract to work a specified number of days, and b)the government requires students get a specific number of school hours per year, so they can't just add 3 days on top of that.
Also, not all students are going.

You saved me a long post, but in the interest of being fair (and full disclosure) to both sides, under our contract, the CBE can have us teaching to a maximum of 200 days per school year. For the upcoming year - even before the 'extra' 3 days for WorldSkills - we were at a number lower than 200. I am not sure what it is - but there was room for them to just go, "You're going back early. Suck it up." They didn't - and gave us the extra days spread throughout the year (which I actually prefer!) which was cool. ** at least, this is my understanding of the situation **

I'm responsible to take our 9s down (well, I'm the guy they're gonna blame ... there'll be lots of other teachers there) and logistically we don't have huge nightmares, just the ones relating to keeping 10 kids organized and together on the Stampede grounds for a few hours and hoping to whatever you pray to that they all find their way back to the buses (no CTrain for us!!)

[bcb]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

You saved me a long post, but in the interest of being fair (and full disclosure) to both sides, under our contract, the CBE can have us teaching to a maximum of 200 days per school year. For the upcoming year - even before the 'extra' 3 days for WorldSkills - we were at a number lower than 200. I am not sure what it is - but there was room for them to just go, "You're going back early. Suck it up." They didn't - and gave us the extra days spread throughout the year (which I actually prefer!) which was cool. ** at least, this is my understanding of the situation **

I'm responsible to take our 9s down (well, I'm the guy they're gonna blame ... there'll be lots of other teachers there) and logistically we don't have huge nightmares, just the ones relating to keeping 10 kids organized and together on the Stampede grounds for a few hours and hoping to whatever you pray to that they all find their way back to the buses (no CTrain for us!!)

That number is 199.

[bcb]

Originally Posted by tanguay'sstillgood

Not exactly. Yes, the kids are going back early this year so SOME of them can go to the World Skills. Schools will be given an extra 3 days off throughout the year to make up for this because a)teachers are only under contract to work a specified number of days, and b)the government requires students get a specific number of school hours per year, so they can't just add 3 days on top of that.
Also, not all students are going. I teach at a high school and only the 10s are going for us, and they are only going on one day. The reason all schools go back early is because each day different schools will be taking their kids down there. Also, even though the event starts on Sept 1, we have to start earlier than that so that we actually know who our kids are. The days in August will let us get to know (a little bit) the grade 10s new to the school before we head to the grounds the following week. Unfortunately, the day the grade 19s go from a given school, the 11s and 12s are still expected to be at the school that day (even though most teachers will be away to satisfy supervision ratios). They weren't exactly sure how well that part would work when we left in June.

Yes, I think all 10's in the CBE are going and several out of jurisdiction (and out of province) school districts are sending kids. In addition, I heard that certain elementary grades are being sent as well.

I am under the impression the kids (at least the 10's in the CBE) are only going for one day. Is that true? If so, praise the LORD!

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by bcb

That number is 199.

Really? Interesting, that wasn't the number I was told (again, my post was just my understanding) ... but I was led to believe the CBE didn't HAVE to do that swap but did anyway.

Here is what I was looking at: http://www.cbe.ab.ca/calendars/PDF-D...raditional.pdf

Which says we have 189 instructional days next year - thought that was the number that mattered but don't need to bog this conversation down in the minutiae. At any rate - schools are going back early due to an event that will almost certainly increase the sales of beer in this city tenfold during that week.

[spydermal]

My first day of class at SAIT starts on the 14th. It's also a bother with the move it day for residence.

[Otto-matic]

Seems like a few CP'ers at SAIT. On a Flames game we can hit the campus bar and have a little CP meet, or just drink during the afternoon either works for me

[Yeah_Baby]

Pff all the cool Flames fans go to U of A. That is dedication, pilgrims in an unholy land.