Dec. 15, 2022
Dec. 15, 2022
Dear parents and guardians,
This fall the Calgary Board of Education gathered feedback from students, parents, staff and members of the public about possible calendar changes for schools currently operating on the modified calendar.
In considering the feedback gathered and other factors, we have decided to transition CBE schools currently operating on the modified calendar to the traditional calendar starting in the 2023-24 school year.
The traditional instructional calendar for 2023-24 has been approved. Details are available below and on the CBE website.
This decision means most CBE schools will be operating on one calendar (known as the traditional calendar) starting next fall. Unique-setting schools will not be affected by this change and will continue to operate on the calendar that best meets the needs of their students. The list of modified-calendar and unique-setting schools can be found here.
There are some notable benefits to operating on one instructional calendar for most schools:
- Students will have greater access to language and alternative programs that typically operate on the traditional calendar.
- Families will experience fewer scheduling challenges resulting from children attending schools operating on two different calendars.
- There will be improved efficiencies and reduced operational challenges across the CBE.
Feedback and Other Factors Considered in the Decision
Feedback was gathered through online surveys, an in-person session and a virtual session. The results show overall support for this decision. A summary of what we heard is available on the CBE website along with all the perspectives shared through sessions and online surveys. Some notable highlights include:
- 73 per cent of parents and students and 60 per cent of staff directly affected by this change indicated the change would work well or be okay
- 76 per cent of parents and students and 58 per cent of staff directly affected by this change said that September 2023 is a reasonable timeframe for implementation
- The majority of online survey respondents said that cost savings should be considered equally with other factors or should be a significant factor in decision-making
This feedback was one factor in decision-making. Other factors considered were equitable access to programming for all students and alignment with other programming and operational requirements. These factors were identified after an analysis showed that the modified calendar does not result in higher student achievement or attendance rates.
More information about this decision and what we heard is available on the CBE website.
Though this decision will have a positive overall impact, we recognize that this decision does require staff and families to make adjustments in preparing for the 2023-24 school year. The CBE is committed to working collaboratively with school leaders and staff at modified-calendar schools to provide a smooth transition for families affected by this decision.
2023-24 Instructional Calendar Now Posted
The instructional calendar for 2023-24 has been approved and is available on our website. In support of student and staff well-being, we will be providing a fall break with more consecutive days off than previously provided on the traditional calendar. This responds to what we heard through this engagement process and other feedback we’ve received recently. For 2023-24, this fall break will happen Nov. 9 – 14.
If you have any questions about what this means for your child, please contact your school.
Sincerely,
Christopher Usih
Chief Superintendent of Schools
