Vancouver School Board considers more school day closures

The Vancouver School Board is considering giving students more school day closures in order to save money.

The new proposal, which is still under review, would give students two extra days off from school allowing the school board to save money in next year's budget.

The days off would be made up for by adding a few extra minutes to each school day. Therefore, the savings would not come from teachers' salariesbecause they would still be teaching thesame number of hours. Rather, the savings would come from substitute teaching costs.

Board chair Patti Bacchus said schools have to implement these kinds of cost-saving measuresbecause there is no new funding for schools.

"The Vancouver school district, like most school districts nowin B.C.,has been using the school calendar to do some cost-saving, and by that I mean we have added additional closures days to the school year," said Bacchus.

Vancouver schools adopted a two week spring break three years ago, but Bacchus saidthe board has since scaled back on some additional closures.

"We did have one year where we had the two week spring break, plus additional fouror fivelong weekends in the school year, and we really heard quite strongly that was just too much and too difficult for families. So we've gone back to just fiveor sixclosure days a year instead of ten."

Bacchus admits the two extra days off being proposed could be tough on parents, who will be on the hook for childcare costs.

Parents are being encouraged to visit the Vancouver School Board's website to voice their concerns before the board votes on the proposed changes in early May.