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Education Act

R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 304

SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR, PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAYS

Historical version for the period December 20, 2007 to August 31, 2008.

Last amendment: O. Reg. 579/07.

This is the English version of a bilingual regulation.

1. (1) In this Regulation,

“instructional day” means a school day that is designated as an instructional day on a school calendar and upon which day an instructional program that may include examinations is provided for each pupil whose program is governed by such calendar; (“journée d’enseignement”)

“professional activity” includes evaluation of the progress of pupils, consultation with parents, the counselling of pupils, curriculum and program evaluation and development, professional development of teachers and attendance at educational conferences; (“activité de perfectionnement professionnel”)

Note: On September 1, 2008, the definition of “professional activity” is revoked and the following substituted:

“professional activity” includes evaluation of the progress of pupils, consultation with parents, the counselling of pupils, curriculum and program evaluation and development, professional development of teachers and attendance at educational conferences, but does not include preparation by teachers for classes or instruction; (“activité de perfectionnement professionnel”)

See: O. Reg. 360/06, ss. 2, 7 (2).

“professional activity day” means a school day that is designated as a day for professional activities on a school calendar; (“journée pédagogique”)

“school day” means a day that is within a school year and is not a school holiday; (“jour de classe”)

“school year” means the period prescribed as such by or approved as such under this Regulation. (“année scolaire”) R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 1 (1).

(2) A board may designate half a school day an instructional program and the remainder of the day for professional activities, but such a day constitutes a half-day in determining the number of instructional days in the school year. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 1 (2).

2. (1) Subject to section 5, the school year shall commence on or after the 1st day of September and end on or before the 30th day of June. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 2 (1).

(2) Revoked: O. Reg. 91/98, s. 2 (2).

(3) Revoked: O. Reg. 91/98, s. 2 (4).

(3.1) Subject to sections 5 and 5.1, every school year shall include a minimum of 194 school days designated as follows:

1. Two days shall be designated by the board as professional activity days.

2. In addition to the two days required under paragraph 1, up to four days may be designated by the board as professional activity days.

3. Any school days not designated as professional activity days under paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be instructional days. O. Reg. 360/06, s. 3; O. Reg. 579/07, s. 1.

(4) Subject to section 5, the following are school holidays:

1. Every Saturday and Sunday.

2. When the school is open during July, Canada Day.

3. Labour Day.

4. A day appointed by the Governor General or the Lieutenant Governor as a public holiday or for Thanksgiving.

5. A Christmas vacation consisting of fourteen consecutive days commencing on the Monday next following the Friday preceding the 21st day of December, but when the 21st day of December is a Thursday or a Friday, commencing on the Monday next following.

5.1 Family Day, being the third Monday in February.

6. Five consecutive days commencing on the Monday next following the Friday preceding the 14th day of March.

7. Good Friday.

8. Easter Monday.

9. Victoria Day. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 2 (4); O. Reg. 579/07, s. 2.

3. (1) Revoked: O. Reg. 91/98, s. 3 (2).

(2) Revoked: O. Reg. 91/98, s. 3 (4).

(3) Where a school has a policy of granting exemptions to pupils from the writing of examinations, such exemptions may be granted only from the final examinations in a course and only where at least one other set of examinations has been held. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 3 (3).

(3.1) With respect to every school year after the 1997-1998 school year, a board may designate up to ten instructional days as examination days. O. Reg. 91/98, s. 3 (5).

(4) The teaching staff shall be in school during regular school hours on examination days and accessible to pupils, unless the board directs otherwise. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 3 (4).

4. (1) In each year every board shall, except in respect of a school or class for which the board has submitted a proposed school calendar under section 5, prepare, adopt and submit to the Minister on or before the 1st day of May in respect of the school year next following, the school calendar or school calendars to be followed in the schools under its jurisdiction, and each such school calendar shall,

(a) state the school or schools in which the calendar is to be followed;

(b) conform to section 2; and

(c) identify each day of the school year as an instructional day, a professional activity day or a school holiday. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 4 (1).

(2) In preparing a school calendar under subsection (1), the board shall ensure that the two professional activity days required under paragraph 1 of subsection 2 (3.1) satisfy the following criteria:

1. The professional activity days are devoted to the professional development of teachers with respect to,

i. improving student outcomes in literacy and numeracy, and

ii. improving student success in making the transition from elementary to secondary school, graduating from secondary school and obtaining employment or attending college or university after graduation.

2. The professional activities on those days,

i. are designed to improve teachers’ skills and knowledge in a range of instructional and assessment strategies, and

ii. relate to one or more topics set out in Schedule 1. O. Reg. 360/06, s. 4 (2).

(2.1) If a board designates one or more additional professional activity days under paragraph 2 of subsection 2 (3.1), it shall ensure that some of the professional activities relate to curriculum development, implementation and review. O. Reg. 360/06, s. 4.

(3) A school calendar submitted under subsection (1) shall be accompanied by a general outline of the activities to be conducted on the professional activity days identified on the calendar. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 4 (3).

4.1 With respect to each professional activity day required under paragraph 1 of subsection 2 (3.1), every board shall,

(a) prepare an agenda that identifies,

(i) the date, location and timing,

(ii) the school or schools participating, and

(iii) the program and scheduled professional activities; and

(b) at least 10 school days before the scheduled professional activity day, make available the agenda by,

(i) posting it on the website of the board and of each participating school that has a website,

(ii) posting it in a conspicuous location in the main office of the board and of each participating school,

(iii) distributing it to the chair of the school council of each participating school, and

(iv) posting or distributing it in any other manner that the board considers appropriate. O. Reg. 360/06, s. 5 (1).

4.2 Revoked: O. Reg. 360/06, s. 5 (2).

5. (1) For one or more schools under its jurisdiction a board may designate a school year and school holidays that are different from those prescribed in section 2 and, where a board does so, the board shall submit to the Minister on or before the first day of March a proposed school calendar for the school year next following in respect of such school or schools, identifying thereon each day of the school year as an instructional day, a professional activity day or a school holiday, and the board may, upon approval thereof by the Minister, implement such school calendar. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 5 (1).

(2) Where the Minister informs a board that he or she does not approve the school calendar submitted under subsection (1), the board may amend its proposed school calendar and submit to the Minister a revised school calendar and, upon approval thereof by the Minister, the board may implement the revised school calendar. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 5 (2).

(3) Where a board has submitted a proposed school calendar under subsection (1) and the Minister has not approved on or before the 15th day of April such calendar or a revision thereof submitted under subsection (2), the board shall, on or before the 1st day of May, prepare, adopt and submit to the Minister a school calendar in accordance with section 4. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 5 (3).

5.1 (1) The 2007-2008 school year shall include a minimum of 193 school days. O. Reg. 579/07, s. 3.

(2) If the school calendar applicable to a school for the 2007-2008 school year, as it reads on December 20, 2007 identifies February 18, 2008 as a professional activity day, the board shall reschedule the professional activity day to a date approved by the Minister. O. Reg. 579/07, s. 3.

(3) Where a professional activity day has been rescheduled under subsection (2), the board shall notify the parents concerned of the new date as far in advance as possible. O. Reg. 579/07, s. 3.

6. (1) Where in the opinion of the board it is desirable to alter the date of a professional activity day or an examination day on a school calendar that has been submitted under section 4 or subsection 5 (3) or approved and implemented under subsection 5 (1) or (2), the board may alter the school calendar. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 6 (1).

(2) Where, the board alters a school calendar under subsection (1), the board shall notify the parents concerned and the Minister of the altered date as far in advance as possible. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 6 (2).

(3) The prior approval of the Minister is required for changes other than to the date of a professional activity day or an examination day. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 6 (3).

(4) Where,

(a) a school or class is closed for a temporary period because of failure of transportation arrangements, inclement weather, fire, flood, a breakdown of the school heating plant or a similar emergency, or a school is closed under the Health Protection and Promotion Act or the Education Act; and

(b) the school calendar is not altered under subsection (1),

the day on which the school or class is closed remains an instructional day or a professional activity day, as the case may be, as designated on the school calendar applicable to such school or class. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 6 (4).

7. (1) Every board shall publish annually its school calendar or school calendars and ensure that copies thereof are available at the beginning of the school year for the information of parents and pupils. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 7 (1).

(2) A school calendar or school calendars published under subsection (1) shall, in addition to the information required to be listed under subsection 4 (1), indicate in a general manner the activities to be conducted on professional activity days. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 7 (2).

8. In each year, every board shall undertake an annual evaluation of the activities of the professional activity days of the previous year and retain such evaluations on file. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 8.

9. (1) A Remembrance Day service shall be held in every school on the 11th day of November or, when the 11th day of November is a Saturday or a Sunday, on the Friday preceding the 11th day of November. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 9 (1).

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply where the school participates in a service of remembrance at a cenotaph or other location in the community. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 304, s. 9 (2).

SCHEDULE 1
TOPICS FOR PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAYS REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH 1 OF SUBSECTION 2 (3.1)

1. The following are the possible topics for professional activities relating to the improvement of student outcomes in literacy and numeracy:

1. Differentiating instructional strategies and resources for diverse learners with respect to literacy or numeracy or both.

2. Developing and using literacy strategies that are responsive to the learning needs of students with regard to race, culture, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, family status or disability.

3. Using effective literacy strategies that are responsive to the learning needs of francophone students or Aboriginal students having regard to cultural identity.

4. Identifying appropriate interventions and using accommodations and modifications to improve student outcomes in literacy or numeracy or both.

5. Using differentiated literacy instruction to meet the needs of one or both of the following:

i. English Language learners.

ii. students in Actualisation linguistique en français (ALF) and Perfectionnement du français (PDF).

6. Gathering and analyzing data to make appropriate instructional decisions with respect to literacy or numeracy or both.

7. Integrating the development of character and citizenship attributes throughout the teaching of the literacy curriculum.

8. Using effective techniques to integrate literacy across the curriculum.

9. Using shared reading and interactive writing in small group instruction in kindergarten.

10. Using effective strategies to develop oral communication skills.

11. Using effective strategies to develop reading comprehension.

12. Using the writing process and specific feedback to improve student writing.

13. Connecting reading, writing, talking, listening and thinking to improve student achievement.

14. Using effective instruction in combined grades with respect to literacy or numeracy or both.

15. Integrating the use of manipulatives and technologies for teaching mathematics.

16. Teaching and learning mathematics through problem-solving.

17. Developing skills for communicating mathematical knowledge.

18. Using effective assessment of students learning mathematics to guide instruction.

19. Using a portfolio to engage students in their literacy learning and to communicate to parents.

20. Using strategies to communicate student achievement and to engage parents in supporting their child’s learning with respect to literacy or numeracy or both.

21. Developing skills for teacher inquiry and reflective practice in literacy or numeracy or both.

22. Developing coaching and facilitation skills for literacy leaders or numeracy leaders or both.

2. The following are the possible topics for professional activities relating to the improvement of student success in making the transition from elementary to secondary school, graduating from secondary school and obtaining employment or attending college or university after graduation:

1. Using differentiated instruction and other teaching strategies to,

i. make instruction relevant to students by addressing student readiness, interests and program pathways,

ii. engage students in their learning,

iii. guide instructional and program planning strategies for all types of learners,

iv. improve the use of effective instructional strategies for all types of courses,

v. apply age appropriate interventions,

vi. integrate essential skills required in the workplace, and

vii. assess and evaluate student achievement.

2. Using students’ assessment and evaluation data to inform teachers’ instructional and program planning to support students’ transition through school.

3. Using cross-curricular instructional and learning strategies to support students’ transition through school.

4. Facilitating transitions from elementary to secondary and from secondary school to postsecondary education.

5. Developing and analyzing class profiles to make instructional decisions to support students’ transition through school.

6. Developing students’ profiles to plan how to enhance achievement.

7. Creating a positive classroom climate conducive to learning.

8. Developing student engagement, character and citizenship attributes necessary for lifelong learning.

9. Teaching students how to set and revise personal learning objectives using assessment and evaluation data.

10. Teaching students how to use assessment and evaluation data to improve their achievement.

11. Developing an understanding of how to be successful in transitions, Program Pathways, Cooperative Education and other forms of Experiential Learning.

12. Using strategies to communicate student achievement and to engage parents in supporting their child’s learning.

O. Reg. 360/06, s. 6.