Pending approval, students of the Limestone District School Board will return to class before the traditional Labour Day holiday, with classes beginning for all students on Tuesday, September 1, 2020.

Often, school starts in Ontario after Labour Day. This fall, however, the holiday is later which has resulted in Limestone  and many other school boards across the province, starting school before the Labour Day holiday.

Student achievement is the primary consideration for all calendar decisions and options.

The school year calendar stakeholder committee explored a number of ways to meet the Ministry of Education’s requirement of 194 school days between September 1 and June 30, while still balancing school breaks, elementary reporting,  secondary exam schedules, professional activity days and shared transportation.

More than 2,700 people responded to the Board’s online survey seeking feedback on one of two options – a start on September 1 or 2. Sixty-one per cent of survey respondents, as well as Limestone’s co-terminous boards with whom we share busing, Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board, and Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, indicated a preference for a PA Day on August 31 with students starting September 1.

A return to classes on September 1 provides a summer break of 67 days, which is consistent with the length of the break over the last five years. Utilizing professional learning days throughout the school year, and ensuring second semester for secondary students starts on either a Friday or Monday were also important factors.

Notable details of the proposed 2020-2021 School Year Calendar are:

• The school year starts on Monday, August 31, 2020 for staff only (PA Day).
• Students begin Tuesday, September 1, 2020
• December break (Monday, December 21 – Friday, January 1, 2021). School resumes for students and staff Monday, January 4, 2021
• March Break (March 15 – 19, 2021)
• There are seven (7) PA days in total (August 31, 2020 September 25, 2020, November 20, 2020, January 29, 2021, April 30, 2021, June 4, 2021and June 25, 2021).
• Two (2) PA days are required for Elementary reporting: January 29, 2021 and June 4, 2021.
• Semester 1 runs from August 31, 2020 to January 29, 2021 inclusive. Semester 2 runs from February 1 to June 25, 2021.
• Secondary exam Schedules: January 21 – 27, 2021 and June 17 – 23, 2021
• Last day of school for students Thursday, June 24, 2021
• Each semester consists of 97 school days.

The final calendar must be approved by the Ministry of Education.