On October 11th, the R.H. King administration announced that the school’s calendar will now align with the TDSB calendar. This means that King will no longer have an early start and consequently, a Wellness Break in November. Changes will be implemented in the upcoming school year, effective September 2025. 

The purpose of Wellness Break was to give students a break from classes before the winter break, and allow them to focus on their mental health. The break typically fell in the first couple of weeks of November, just around the time many students start to feel burnt out by their course load. 

“I honestly feel a little sad because I always looked forward to this break in November, since it was a break in the middle of chaos during the first semester,” shares Silvia Roy, a grade eleven student. “November is when the workload starts to worsen, so the break helped me adjust to that. Knowing that next year I won’t have this week to calm my mind kind of sucks.” 

The Academy prided itself on its modified calendar, being the only TDSB school to have one. A question raised by many students is whether or not this change is starting to compromise the school’s individuality; Roy in particular feels that her school is starting to lose part of what makes it special.

“King does many things differently than other high schools in Ontario, but the early start was something we were known for”, Roy explains. “I liked having a mental health week, it made me feel like the school cared a little more than other schools about our well-being.” 

Although grade nine student Divya Krishna has yet to experience her first Wellness Break, she looks forward to getting her well deserved break. “I’ve heard from many people that [Wellness Break] has been very helpful for their mental health, especially because November is the month that students get most stressed with schoolwork. I’m not a fan of the new calendar change”.

There seems to be an overall lack of communication between the school and the students. Krishna continues: “There have been no clear reasons for this change, so I just don’t see the point in it. I don’t see how this will help students in the future.”

There have also been concerns about the well-being of students without Wellness Break. Although it is true that all other schools operate without an extra break, this initiative from King played a huge part in easing students’ stress. In her letter to the school community, Principal Catherine Chang reassured students and guardians that the school would “support student mental health with a school-wide approach”. However, many are feeling doubtful about whether these alleged initiatives will be just as effective  as a week off from school. 

“Oftentimes, schools preach that they value student mental health and attempt to provide tools, but these resources do often fall flat and don’t have a big impact,” shares Sadal Nour, a grade 11 student at King. She continues: “[Wellness Break] was good because it was a mental health resource that wasn’t tied much to our actual school life, which in my opinion is what causes a lot of the issues surrounding students’ mental health.”

The overall consensus among students appears to be mass confusion and distress regarding next year’s calendar alignment. However, the change is not set in stone yet. Next year’s calendar is to be approved by the Ministry of Education in spring 2025. Until then, it is up to students to voice their opinions, and advocate for the change they would like to see in their school. The fate of King’s unique aspects lies in the hands of students.

More updates are to follow in the near future.