Parents vote to keep cold weather policy
Candace Thomson
Northern News Services
Published Friday, December 13, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The cold-weather policy in the public school district that keeps students inside on those extra chilly days isn't going to change this year thanks to a vote from parents.
Fourteen-year-old Alisha Breton, left, and her friend, Matthew Curtis, 14, braved the cold for some fresh air at the St. Joseph School playground on Range Lake Road last month. Parents with children in Yk1 district schools voted to keep the cold weather policy – which determines when recesses are kept inside – the same as last year's, despite concerns students were being kept indoors too much. - NNSL file photo |
"Eighty per cent of parents who responded wanted to keep the cold-weather procedure exactly the same - it's -30 C with wind chill," said Metro Huculak, superintendent for Yellowknife Education District No. 1.
Yk1 sent out a parent survey looking for opinions on whether the board should leave the policy alone, or change it to make the cut off -30 C without windchill, as there are so many Northern days, almost half the year, when the temperature with windchill would be at the cut off or colder.
"Parents wanted us to look at the policy and we did," Huculak said. "Some parents who are from warmer countries or parts of Canada wanted it to be -20 C or -25 C, but we're keeping it the same."
The policy came into debate in March when trustees wondered if students were being kept inside so often that it was a detriment to the district's healthy lifestyle mandate.
During the December board meeting on Tuesday, it was brought up again in several Parent Advisory Committee reports.
One of the main concerns from parents was the effect the policy has on outdoor trips, such as Camp Akaitcho, which was cancelled last year because of the cold weather. The camps are usually for children in middle and high school who can handle and prepare for colder weather more easily than younger students.
"They're really worried there were some problems that the cold weather policy affected the camps. They felt the young adults knew how to dress themselves, and the teachers make sure they dress properly," trustee Al Shortt said of parents at Sir John Franklin High School.
"The policy isn't supposed to affect camps."
"It's a shame if we cancel a camp where we're so well set up and have the staff to make sure it happens," agreed assistant superintendent Bernie Giacobbo. "And the kids want to be there, so they dress well, too."
Huculak told trustees that when a tour company closed its doors several years ago, it gave the school board goose-down parkas, ski pants, mitts and other winter gear for the students.
He said with this equipment, the cold weather policy shouldn't affect the camps and won't any longer since he had sorted it out with administration.
"We have successful camps and we need to make sure they continue to go throughout the year," said John Stephenson, board chair.
Last year, students were kept inside during recess for 35 days throughout the winter by Yk1 and Yellowknife Catholic school boards.
The Catholic school board is keeping its policy the same as well, superintendent Claudia Parker said.
