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School year to start after Labour Day By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 13 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, April 17, 2009 The Halton District and Halton Catholic District school boards have approved draft calendars for the 2009-10 school year that will see students start classes on Tuesday, Sept. 8 after Labour Day. Trustees with both boards approved the draft calendars at meetings held this week. The calendars still need the Ministry's approval, which is expected by May 1. Support for the calendars is likely, considering the postLabour Day start is preferred by Education Minister Kathleen Wynne. "We wanted to be responsive to Minister Wynne's memo and also to some of the responses we've had from our constituents," said Ruth Peden, associate director with the Halton District School Board. "To those who were concerned about it, this is exactly what they would have preferred. I'm really glad this is resolved and we'll be sending this draft in to the Ministry and it will likely be approved and we'll be moving ahead." The school year calendar issue has been the source of some confusion and frustration. Both Halton school boards initially voted in February in favour of draft calendars that would see classes start on Sept. 1 -- before the long weekend. The Ministry of Education had previously given school boards no direction in the creation of the school year calendar for 2009-10, despite potential obstacles created by the late Labour Day. However, public pressure placed on Wynne last month resulted in her sending a letter to school boards across Ontario asking them to consider starting classes after Labour Day. The problem surrounding this year's start date stems from the calendar year. Labour Day falls on Monday, Sept. 7, which leaves 192 school days by June 30, 2010. School boards are required by the Ministry of Education to identify a minimum 194 school days between September and the end of June, with 188 instructional days and no more than six professional activity days. The public and Catholic boards in Halton are getting around this by scheduling two professional activity days and a board holiday before Labour Day weekend.