Dufferin's public elementary and secondary schools are to have classes in September a full week before the county's separate schools and all schools in Peel Region are open.

Upper Grand District School Board trustees voted last week to have schools open on Tuesday, September 1 rather than Sept. 8, the day after Labour Day.

The move came despite a decision by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board to follow the lead of other school boards in the Greater Toronto area, including the Peel District board, to have students return to class on Sept. 8.

Bruce Campbell, general manager of the Dufferin-Peel board's Communications & Community Relations Department, said Wednesday the provincially mandated requirement of 194 teaching days will be accomplished by moving two professional development (PD) days to Sept. 2 and 3.

Told of the Upper Grand decision, Mr. Campbell remarked, "They're going against the current."

The Upper Grand trustees based their decision on a conclusion that it wasn't possible to fit the 194 instructional days and six PD days into the calendar between September 8 and June 30.

According to the regulation, the school year may run anytime between September 1 and June 30.

"We realize that this is not going to be a popular decision," said board chair Bob Borden. "However, we have taken into consideration the timing of the notification, so families can make appropriate plans, if at all possible. We usually submit our calendar by May 1."

The UG board says it is aware that that some children won't be in school on the days before Labour Day due to plans already made by families for summer camps, vacations, and student summer jobs.

Although schools of both the Upper Grand and Wellington Catholic boards will be open Sept. 1, 2 and 3, they will close on Friday September 4, to provide a fourday weekend.

The calendar also provides for an extra day in the March Break.