The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows School District has approved a school calendar for the 2026-2027 school year.
The first day of the school year for students will be Sept. 8, 2026, and the last day will be June 24, 2027.
The schedule includes a two-week winter break from Monday, Dec. 21, 2026, to Friday, Jan. 1, 2027, and a two-week spring break from Monday, March 15 to Thursday, March 25, 2027.
The district noted there were some suggestions for adjustments, including changing the timing of the two-week spring break, and a later return to school following winter break. However these could not be accommodated while keeping the calendars compliant with collective agreement language.
There is a separate calendar for Kanaka Creek Elementary.
Public feedback on the proposed calendars was collected through an online survey hosted on the district website in January and February, with 829 respondents completing the survey. Of the respondents, 62 per cent support the proposed calendar, 31 per cent are not in favour, and the rest offered no opinion.
Key themes in written comments were:
• A preference for spring break from March 8-19.
• To separate the Easter (March 28) long weekend and the two-week spring break.
• A later return to school following the winter break.
Elementary school hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 2:25 p.m., and secondary hours 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
The calendar provides for 880 hours of instruction for elementary students. The minimum number of hours that must be offered under the School Act is 878. For secondary students, the calendar provides 953 hours of instruction, and the School Act calls for 952.
The complete calendars are available online at sd42.ca
Spring 2026 will see proposed 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 calendars go out for public consultation.