Spring break in 2010 could be doubled to two weeks in the Greater Victoria school district.
Trustees will consider the move this week, in time to include it on their schedule for the 2009-10 school year.
"We talked about doing it last year but it was rejected by the teachers' union," said Tom Ferris, chairman of the Greater Victoria board of education.
Now, after a round of consultations, it is again up for debate.
"There were some reasonable objections to it, but overall, people thought it was a good idea," he said.
"I think the biggest objection was if you remove four or five days from the calendar, and add them in in some other way, are you putting some students at a disadvantage in fulfilling their requirements for the curriculum?"
The time lost in the longer spring break would be made up by adding a few minutes to other days in the school year. He said there are legitimate concerns about how that time can be gainfully used.
Creating a break that suits as many people as possible, rather than saving money, is the motive, Ferris said.
"If we do save money, it's not going to be a big number on our budget. The cost saving, if there is any, is indeterminate. It really has more to do with having an extended spring break, which gives people a bit of a break between Christmas and the end of the year.
"Also, it has to do with the fact that so many people want to take a holiday at spring break and they find that the one week isn't quite enough. So you end up with some kids who are out of school and it does kind of upset the routine."
Ferris said extended spring breaks are common in Europe and becoming more common in sa国际传媒 They have been adopted in more than 20 of the province's 60 school districts.
One of those is the Gulf Islands school district, where a longer break has fit well with the district's four-day-a-week class schedule.
"It's not that our intention is to create a two-week spring break, but to create weeks that work," said Gulf Islands school trustee Mike Krayenhoff. "And sometimes, that's the format that works out.
"It's our effort to keep the instructional time working for people."
The district's approach to spring break has both fans and detractors.
"There's definitely mixed feelings about it. Some people love it and some people find it difficult, Krayenhoff said."
May McKenzie, chairwoman of the Gulf Islands board of education, estimated that about 70 per cent of people favour the two-week system.
John Bird of the Victoria Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils said his group has been discussing the issue and will make a statement when it is broached this week.
"We're still developing our position," he said. "There are some pros and cons to it."
Both the Saanich and Sooke school districts have a one-week spring break.
