LAKELAND – The Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) board of trustees approved the school calendar for the upcoming 2025-26 school year during its March 12 board meeting, which was held in Bonnyville.
Karen Packard, chair of the NLPS board, said the feedback NLPS officials received from the school calendar survey conducted by the division was instrumental in shaping this year’s calendar.
According to information from NLPS, a total of 516 participants took part in the survey, including staff, parents, and residents. The 2025-26 school calendar aims to provide a balanced schedule that prioritizes student learning, staff development, as well as the needs of families within the school division, according to NLPS.
“Our goal is always to create a calendar that best supports student learning and achievement while also considering the needs of families and staff,” Packard said.
The results of the survey stated that both parents and staff preferred students start school after Labour Day. When the school division’s 6,000 students return to their classrooms after the summer break, they will start the new school year on Sept. 2, as outlined in the calendar.
Staff are set to return to school a week earlier to prepare for students and also take part in professional development (PD) sessions.
As part of the Northern Lights Public Schools’ priority to increase student achievement, Packard explained, it is important that staff are provided with professional development opportunities.
“This year’s calendar includes eight dedicated PD days for staff that will allow them to focus on learning without impacting student instructional time,” she said.
The school calendar for the upcoming school year includes four, four-day long weekends. These weekends include Truth and Reconciliation Day in September, Thanksgiving (Oct. 13), Remembrance Day (Nov. 11), and Victoria Day in May.
Additionally, students will be able to enjoy a two-week break at Christmas as well as a one-week spring break at Easter.
Another consideration in creating the 2025-26 school calendar was aligning breaks with other school divisions in the Lakeland region, whenever possible.
“We heard clearly from both parents and staff that having similar break schedules makes planning easier for families,” explained Packard. “While there are a couple of differences, all of the major breaks align to help reduce confusion in our communities.”
