What Happens During the School Year?

What Happens During the School Year?

Whether you're just beginning grade 10 or already preparing for graduation, staying on top of your school year schedule is one of the best ways to stay organized and reduce stress. While each school may have its own specific calendar, there are general patterns and key milestones that apply across the board (EPSB & ECSD). This overview will give you a sense of what to expect, from the first day of school to holidays, breaks, and exam periods, so you can stay informed as the year unfolds.

You can access your school boards full year schedule on their official websites:

• Edmonton Public School Board

• Edmonton Catholic School District

Why is it good to be prepared for the upcoming year?

Knowing the upcoming school schedule can help with time management and studying, ease your transition into the new environment, and understand the expectations and norms of the school.

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Let’s get started!

The school year typically begins during the first week of September. One of the first key dates to note is Labour Day, which falls on the first Monday of September. This is a national statutory holiday in Canada, meaning there is no school (and for many people, no work) on this day. It's often seen as the unofficial end of summer! Depending on the date that Labour Day falls on, the first day of school may start the week before, or on the Tuesday after. This year the first day of school starts on Tuesday, September 2nd.

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Days Off – National Holidays & PD Days

List of National Holidays (for EPSB & ECSD):

• Truth & Reconciliation Day – Sept 30

• Thanksgiving Day Oct 13

• Remembrance Day – November 11

• Christmas Day – December 25

• Boxing Day – December 26

• New Year’s Day – January 1

• Family Day – February 16

• Good Friday – April 3

• Easter Monday – April 6

• Victoria Day – May 18

In addition to national and provincial holidays, schools have several scheduled days off when students are not required to attend classes. These are known as non-instructional days, which include P.D. (Professional Development) days, where staff participate in training and planning.

Breaks Throughout the Year:

Throughout the school year, students can expect breaks at key times:

• Fall Break – typically occurs in November

• Winter Break – begins shortly before December 25 and continues into early January

• Spring Break – typically occurs in March

• Exam Break – at the end of the school year, during final exams. During this time students are only required to come in for their exam. This leaves the additional time for studying.

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Other Important Dates and Events

In addition to holidays and breaks, high school students can expect several key events and milestones throughout the year:

IB and AP exams:

AP exams take place in the first two weeks of May, and the schedule will be posted on the official AP College Board website ahead of time. The schedule will also be mentioned through school announcements and in the relevant class. For students in AP classes that have a final project rather than an exam, there will be a set date and time by which the project must be handed in by and the teacher will explain the details to the students closer to the date of submission. Some schools will set their own deadlines for the AP project ahead of the official submission to make sure students complete their projects on time.

IB exams also take place in May. Classes have an additional IA (internal assessment) associated with the class which must be submitted, as well as a few other components for students in full IB. Submission dates are set in advance and will be posted, both on the official website and by the school, ahead of time. IB grades are a combination of the exam and the IA project. Most of the weighting of the grade is on the exam. Like AP projects, some schools will set their own deadlines for the IA project ahead of the official submission to make sure students complete their projects on time.

Diploma Exams

For students in 30-level core courses (typically taken in Grade 11 or 12), Alberta Diploma Exams are a major part of the year. These standardized provincial exams are scheduled at the end of each semester in January and June. An overview of information about these diplomas for the upcoming (2024/2025) year can be found here.

Additional exam sessions are available in August and November for rewrites or deferred exams. The full schedule and details are available on the Government of Alberta website. Dates for the diplomas are posted ahead of time on the government website and are announced on the schools exam schedule.

Graduation and Prom

While graduation ceremonies and prom dates vary by school and school board, they generally take place between mid May and late June. Schools will release specific information in advance, typically in the spring, once venues and plans are confirmed.

School Sports Seasons

High schools across Edmonton participate in a variety of competitive sports, usually following a seasonal structure:

• Fall (September–November): Cross-country, football, volleyball

• Winter (November–February): Basketball, wrestling

• Spring (March–June): Badminton, rugby, soccer, track & field

Each school may offer different teams depending on student interest, facilities, and staff availability. If you're interested in joining a sport, keep an eye out for announcements early in each semester.