2010 February 03

To:       Calendar Group

From:   Human Resources

Re:       Alternate Calendar

Outlined below are possible schedules that will meet the requirement of additional time to establish the alternate schedule.  The key is that all schools have the same schedule at elementary and the same at secondary – the exact times and the issue of length of recess nutrition breaks, start times etc can be dealt with by a district committee –  Please note this a five day a week schedule.

Elementary:

This schedule includes an additional 16 minutes; allows for the contractually required 2.5 hours for supervision aides; ends school close to the standard 3:00; allows for a shortened lunch hour which This would require no change to the current CA for teachers.  h seems to be how schools are going.  As mentioned above specific times can obviously be adjusted – as long as it is district wide.

Secondary:

This schedule includes the additional 17 minutes, allows for five minutes between classes.  Nutrition break could be added by shortening lunch hour – which seems to be what most schools have – but that can be decided slightly down the road.

A benefit to all of this is a standard time for the whole district, lunch hours starting by 12:00 so the issue of ½ day for VTF TOCs gets far clearer etc.

The extra time worked will could result in working 10 less days in the school year specifically:

·         A day in October to create a four day weekend around Thanksgiving stat

·         A day in November to create a four day weekend around Remembrance Day

·         Two days in mid-February to create a four day weekend

·         A day in May to create a four day weekend around Victoria Day

·         Five days added to the Spring Break

Process for changes to local school calendar would apply – in the school regulations.

This would require no change to the current CA for teachers. 

This would require agreements by other Union groups to change hours of work by adding the following:

·         !2 month employees an additional 17 minutes per day for the whole year

·         10 month employees that work 7 hours per day an additional 23 minutes per day

·         10 month employees that work 6.5 hours per day an additional 21.5 minutes per day

The changes above would have to include an agreement that overtime (if applicable) would not be paid as the net result would be a type of time in lieu.

 We would be able compartmentalize the issues by union groups or associations (e.g. only teachers) and possibly by major divisions (e.g. secondary vs elementary)

Current policy surrounding school calendar would have to be amended or changed.

This schedule if implemented throughout the district would save an estimated 1.0 to 1.3 million dollars based on 08-09 data.  There would be possible savings on utility costs etc. but exact amounts can not be determined at this time.