> School began once again on Tuesday, but somehow it was different. I've had plenty of first days of school, but this one was odd, almost surreal.
>
> First I should explain a few things. Earlier this year, our province's education minister Janet Ecker introduced the Education Accountability Act, or Bill 74. Among other things, this bill increased the teacher's workload from six courses per year to 6.67 courses per year. There was also the possibility of forced extra-curricular activity supervision for teachers, but Ecker changed her stance to say that it would not be included unless the teachers attempted to use extra-curricular boycotts as a bargaining chip. We had a two week strike three years ago over another controversial bill, and tensions are running high.
>
> In order to accomodate the extra .67 courses, our school had to change the timetable that has served it faithfully for many years. One thing that has remained a treat of GRCI's schedules is the fact that we always had a common lunch period, and it was always at least one hour long. The rest of the day was divided into eight periods for the eight courses. Unfortunately, the increased workload forced the abandonment of the common lunch and the change of the schedule into ten periods.
>
> How does the loss of lunch affect things? Well, for one thing, clubs are in a jam. Many clubs in previous years have relied on that common lunch to fit into the busy lives of its members. The traditional lunch periods are supposed to be period I and J... unfortunately, most of the OAC (fifth-year) courses run during that period J. The result? Not only do these students not get to eat at the appropriate lunchtime, but many students do not get a spare period at ALL on Fridays.
>
> For another thing, lunch, since it was common, was a significant social period to hang out with friends and stuff. We can't do that anymore.
>
> Speaking once more of clubs, the increased workload has left teachers with more students to teach and less time to plan in. As a result, extra-curricular activities are in limbo as teachers decide whether they have the time left to supervise them.
>
> Now, when I go to school, it almost seems like some strange dream. I go there, I go to classes, I eat lunch, I go home. When I get home, I have trouble figuring out what I just did. It seems emptier, lifeless, unfulfilling.
>
> So now I see what has happened. We have lost our friends, we have lost our clubs and activities. And when you do that, you suck the soul out of a school.
>
> --Pliff"sad"ilif


Ok I'm in the same area, we have the same political junk to deal with but its a little bit different for us. My school has been semestred for several years which we've now been told we can not do. At this point the grade nines and tens are doing day one day two while the rest of us are still on semestres. Its a schedualling nightmare. Next year everyone will be desemestred. I'm glad I won't be there anymore.

We have never had a common lunch and our lunches actually got longer (they're now 75 minutes they used to be 40) and we've never had extra curriculars during lunch. Its always been after school.

Of course, now, we have no extra curriculars what so ever. Our teachers are doing the work to rule thing. I can't say I blame them and I am glad that they're not striking (yet) but it might make for a boring school year.

Rivi "waiting to see" kah