New Brunswick and Nova Scotia ponder how to make up for lost school time

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are struggling to make up school days lost to storm days and both provinces are looking at different ways of dealing with the situation.

In N.B., there have been up to 11 school days cancelled this year and there is no concrete plan in place to make up for the lost time.

One professional development day was cancelled in the Anglophone East district to get kids back in class.

“Something has to be done and we are trying,” said Education Minister Serge Rousselle.

However, he says that expanding the school week or adding teaching days to the school calendar aren’t being considered.

The president of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association says there are things that could go.

“Field trips, maybe a museum trip, something like that which are all fantastic learning opportunities, but are not needed to meet the essential outcomes,” said Peter Fullerton.

In New Brunswick, the way teacher’s contracts are structured makes it impossible for them to spend additional time in the classroom.

Saturday classes?

In Nova Scotia, Education Minister Karen Casey is considering Saturday schooling or having some days made up on March Break.

“We can look at three Saturdays or we can look at days on March Break,” she said.

New Brunswick has one of the lowest literacy rates in the country, but people in Moncton that CBC News spoke with were not concerned about the lost time.

“The kids now, they’re pretty smart kids, so they’ll pick up anything real fast,” said Emile Hache.

Having classes on Saturdays does not appear to be a popular option. Hache says it’s important for kids to do non-school related things on the weekend.

“It's just as important to have kids go down the ski slopes or exercise outdoors, so I would say no schools on Saturdays or Sundays,” said Hache.

Stephanie LeBlanc sympathizes with the teachers.

“I feel for the teachers in that sense because I know they work way more than their eight-hour days as is," she said.

In New Brunswick, the debate about what to do will be quiet next week as March Break will be in effect. In Nova Scotia, March Break runs from March 16 – 20.