Christmas '16 school holidays

[podgirl]

We want to go next Christmas to WDW and tradionally have been able to get free dining, with an arrival of Dec. 21. This year Christmas falls on a Sunday, so school will probably go until the 23rd. No free dining, grr! Just wondering if all the school districts are also going up until the 23rd? There's nothing I can do about this, I'm just curious!

 

[hdrolfe]

It seems to be varying, either December 17 - January 1 or December 24 - January 8. My school board put it to a vote from parents, which still hasn't been decided though I've been told most seem to prefer the latter. I was also told a decision should be made by March. Some boards have already decided though so you could check with them and see?

 

[podgirl]

It seems to be varying, either December 17 - January 1 or December 24 - January 8. My school board put it to a vote from parents, which still hasn't been decided though I've been told most seem to prefer the latter. I was also told a decision should be made by March. Some boards have already decided though so you could check with them and see?

Yes, our school board has proposed the latter. Good to know the decision might be made around March, assuming most school boards work the same!

 

[keaster]

Our school board has also proposed December 24th-January 8th. Every year they send a link to get parents feedback on it before they send the calendar to the ministry for final approval. We have until January 15th to provide feedback.

 

[disneymath]

Scool boards in my area are also still deciding between the two options .... personally, the latter is my preference!

 

[phabric]

Anybody have an idea what the Toronto School Board is deciding on?

 

[bankr63]

Boards don't have to finalize and send their calendars to the Ministry until sometime in May. I know that the vote is still open at OCDSB (main Ottawa board).

 

[Disneylover99]

Anybody have an idea what the Toronto School Board is deciding on?

No, but I wish I knew. I'm going to guess Dec. 24 - Jan. 8 though. I think we worked up to the 23rd last time the holiday fell this way.

 

[phabric]

Minister of Education provincial calendar shows Dec 19-30, 2016 for Christmas Holidays.

 

[disneymath]

Minister of Education provincial calendar shows Dec 19-30, 2016 for Christmas Holidays.

This does not mean that all boards will have their breaks then.

This Ministry puts out a sample calendar each year for Boards to use as a starting point. Some places just go with the suggestion; others modify things within reason based on local circumstances etc. Essentiaaly, the number of teaching, professional learning, exam days, and break days is fixed, but when those happen can vary by board.

In my area, three schools boards share the busing system, and even then our school calendars sometimes have minor differences.

 

[phabric]

Can people come back with the name of their Board name and their Christmas Break dates?

 

[bankr63]

Can people come back with the name of their Board name and their Christmas Break dates?

They could, but I would caution that when vacation planning the only real information is what gets posted on your local board website. Basing your vacation plans on best guesses is never a great idea, especially if they are non-cancellable and/or non-refundable. If someone posts a date, perhaps they can also link to their school board's website?

As I indicated, the OCDSB (Ottawa English Public) is still conducting a vote, and based on past history I doubt they will officially announce the schedule until just prior to the ministry deadline.

 

[disneymath]

They could, but I would caution that when vacation planning the only real information is what gets posted on your local board website. Basing your vacation plans on best guesses is never a great idea, especially if they are non-cancellable and/or non-refundable. If someone posts a date, perhaps they can also link to their school board's website?

As I indicated, the OCDSB (Ottawa English Public) is still conducting a vote, and based on past history I doubt they will officially announce the schedule until just prior to the ministry deadline.

I would second @bankr63 ... don't book anything that you cannot cancel until you know that your particular Board's calendar is finalized (which might not be until March if I recall).

I'm a cautionary tale: for 2015-2016 (this year), my school board was supposed to have our Christmas Break from December 16th through January 5th (returning to work on the 6th). Even though our calendar was still tentative, everyone from administrators to union reps to board office employees was confident these would be the dates, so I used my 11 month DVC booking window to book the first week of January 2016. Flash forward a month or so, and our dates became December 14th through 1st (returning on the 4th). That January trip has now become a summer 2016 trip since I could not get an entire week off from school. (So glad I held off on flights until the calendar was finalized.)

 

[bcwife76]

Surrey (BC) School Board last day of school is December 16th 2016, first day back is January 3 2017. Though that probably doesn't help you all back east ;-)

 

[Debbie]

Still in draft form, but you can see Thames Valley here

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Our school district won't tell us until late summer, which makes Christmas vacation planning very difficult. In 2010, I guessed vacation dates based on the previous years, but the district didn't follow its established pattern. Since DD was only in 3rd grade, we just pulled her out for vacation. Now, that would fall in semester exam week, so I can't pull her out that week. (ETA: didn't realized I was in the Canadian forum until after I posted. Since I can't delete, maybe this will be of use to someone for comparison sake. lol)

 

[bankr63]

When it gets posted the OCDSB calendar will be here: http://www.ocdsb.ca/calendar/Pages/default.aspx

Note that there is currently a public survey for the Christmas break posted on that page for all to participate in. Inexplicably, if you select the earlier break, students will be returning on January 2nd which is a Stat Holiday for the rest of the world, since New Year's Day is on the Sunday. I voted for that since I will then get the house to myself for one blissful day. DW is a teacher and I guess she will have to work.

 

[mshanson3121]

We're in NB, the new school calendar hasn't been released yet, but my guess is they will go up until the 23rd, as that's typically what they do. Also, that way they avoid going back on a short week (because they would have to take Monday off, for the New Year's holiday).