Planning a Vacation During the School Year?:
The school year in Nova Scotia is 195 days. Students who are absent for any of those days must have legitimate excuses (such as illness, medical appointments, family emergencies, etc.). That time is needed in classrooms to cover the outcomes for all subjects at each particular grade level. Students must be assessed so that we can evaluate if they have met the outcomes covered. Meaningful learning and assessing occurs in the classrooms of Park West School continuously; right up until the last day of school in June. When our students are absent for extended periods of time it may negatively impact on their academic progress. They miss class instruction, interaction with teachers and peers, collaborative learning opportunities, experiential learning, activities, assessment opportunities, discussion, exploration, and many opportunities to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways (not just on paper). These experiences and opportunities cannot be replaced by worksheets and homework packages. Assessment and evaluation by teachers cannot occur if they are not present at school. Parents should be aware that their son/daughter will be missing significant learning and assessment opportunities during an extended absence from school. This may impact on his/her academic progress and the marks on his/her report card. For non-medically related situations teachers are not able to (nor are they responsible to) provide packages of assignments and homework in advance of an extended vacation. It will be the responsibility of the student to catch up on assignments missed upon his/her return (if he/she returns before the end of the school year). It is not possible to issue report cards early or for grade nine students to write end-of-year exams early. We discourage parents removing their children from school for extended periods of time for vacations.
For absences exceeding two weeks parents/guardians should contact teachers and school administration in advance of the absence.
