SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Ordering staff members to take time out of their March break to accompany students on a field trip to Cozumel, Mexico in 2016 is what one Catholic district trustee was hoping to do last week.

Amy Simpson, a trustee for Yellowknife Catholic Schools, wanted to approve a St. Patrick High School field trip to Cozumel, Mexico provided the dates were changed to align with March break. The board didn't support her plan, and approved the trip as it was requested. - NNSL file photo

During a discussion about approving a scuba trip planned for a St. Patrick High School biology class, Yellowknife Catholic Schools (YCS) district trustee Amy Simpson asked if the board could approve a "friendly" amendment that would allow the trip provided the dates were moved so the trip took place over March break.

Claudia Parker, superintendent, said the trip - which takes place every two years - has begun two days after the students return to school after the break for the past few years.

"They'll come back to school Monday and Tuesday and then they leave on the Wednesday," she said. "It's taking them through the Easter break, so it's six days away from school."

Board chair Simon Taylor said that change was made because it was decided that it was too much to ask staff members to spend their March break chaperoning students around Mexico.

"It's a lot of work to take responsibility for these students," he said. "This would not constitute a holiday. Giving up their own March break is a bit much."

Simpson said she didn't like the idea of students missing classroom time.

"I wasn't suggesting this was a vacation for them (staff) but I guess I'm uncomfortable with them taking six days away," she said.

Parker said the trip costs $3,400 per student, but that money will come from student fundraising. She said the only cost to the school board would be in providing a substitute for one classroom assistant, since the other two adults accompanying the students are an administrator and a parent chaperone.

Parker said the board does have the ability to set conditions that would require the trip to happen during the break but that they'd have to vote on it.

Trustee Francis Chang said a trip abroad is educational in itself and shouldn't be considered as lost time. Trustee Steven Voytilla said the decision as to whether the missed time is a threat to the students grades should be left to their parents.

All of the trustees except Simpson voted down the amendment requiring a change in dates.

When it came time to vote on the original request all of the trustees voted to approve the trip except Simpson, who abstained from the vote.

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