Parents on the Sun Peaks Consultation Committee would like to see a four-day week for grade 8 and 9 students, but it won’t be happening any time soon.

School District 73 Board Chair Kathleen Karpuk says it would need to lengthen the school day during the four days of in class instruction and the teachers union is not prepared to have those conversations right now.

“It would require modifications to the teachers contract. That’s something that we are not able to just do unilaterally, it has to be an agreement with the union. They have to be wanting to do that and at this point they indicated that, that wasn’t something that they were prepared to enter into negotiations on.”

“Would [need to] extend the school day and lengthen their work day and for that reason we are not able to move to a four day week for our high school students at Sun Peaks.”

The report on the subject states: “Consultation took place during the week of May 18 to May 22 with the Kamloops Thompson Principals and Vice-principals Association, the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3500 and the Kamloops Thompson Teachers’ Association, as well as 10 parents representing the Sun Peaks Consultation Committee. The District, however, is unable to reduce the instructional time in the five-day week calendar because it will not meet Ministry regulations.”

“There is no viable calendar option to have fewer days of instruction for grade 8 and 9 students at Sun Peaks school.”