Have an opinion on school PD days? The P.E.I. government wants to hear from you

Prince Edward Island students didn't have classes the day after Halloween, and now the province is asking for public feedback on the reason why: professional development days.

P.E.I.'s Department of Education has sent out a survey asking how so-called PDdays impact families.

The survey asks whether it would help if all the PD days were all lumped into one full week rather than scattered throughout the year, and whether parents would like to see their kids in school for more days in 2025-26.

"A lot of people are struggling, I think, trying to find child care and then having to miss work, especially with the prices of everything right now," said Kendra Vessey, whose five-year-old daughter started kindergarten this year.

"Parents' input is really important. It's our children and our children's futures, so we definitely should have a say."

There will be six more professional development days throughout the rest of this school year. The annual calendar typically includes between eight and nine PD days, which are designed to letteachers do their own learning.

Islanders have until Nov. 22 to fill out the survey.

"When we get the results of this survey, we can sit down and take a look at the benefits of doing things differently, or carrying on the way we've always done it. I know it's a challenge for parents when children have a day off school," said P.E.I. Education Minister Rob Lantz.

"We have to keep in mind that PD days are very important professional development days for teachers, so they're current on best practices, and are equipped to teach our children in the best ways possible."

'When you're stuck, you're really stuck'

Lucy Farrell and her husband are both musicians, so their schedules are a bit more flexible than those of some parents.

Even so, they can struggle to find things for their two children to do on PD days, or find child care when they do have commitments.

"Next week there are two days, and we're both busy. And I can't find any space in any camps to put the kids in, so we're still not sure what we're going to do with them next week," Farrell said.

"I kind of like the smattering [of PD days] here and there, honestly. I don't mind it too much. It's just when you're stuck, you're really stuck."

Cindy Smith, who runs the KidsFit After School program that turns into a full-day camp on PD days, said having a full week of them would be easier to plan, both for her and for her staff.

"I wouldn't necessarily have to be promoting and chasing payment for several days across the year, where parents and students would have to be signed up for the week or two weeks that are available," she said.

"That would give me the ability to just tackle that kind of thing all at once and have it done with."

Smith thinks the best way to minimize the impact on parents is for the province to help with the cost, which for her camp is $37 a day for non-registered children.

Lantz said that's something the government has discussed.

For the kids at Smith's camp, though, the feedback on PD days is already clear.

"I like them scattered throughout the year. I don't really want them in one big clump," said Grade 6 student Paityn Gormley.

"I think it's just better to have them all separate because I like a little break throughout the week."