18 March 2021

We are nearing the end of Block 3, which coincides with a full year of online teaching. Although the signs of light at the end of the tunnel are becoming stronger with every vaccination, the fatigue that comes with this pandemic and lockdown is getting to many of us. 

The College Board (CB) has received many signals that an extra week of spring break would be welcomed to recover from the pressures of the past period. Among these signals were a survey conducted by the College Council students that showed overwhelming student support for an extended spring break. The Program Council also informed the Program Board of similar signals.

Plan

The CB has therefore decided to go ahead with this plan, which means the following:

• Spring Break runs from March 29 to April 9
• To make sure that all students get the same treatment, there will be no teaching (or expectations to prepare/read/write) in the second spring break week (week of April 5).
• Block 4 starts on April 12 (the new week 1)
• Instructors can limit the number of course classes to a minimum of 12, but can also use the 10 days that had already been added to Block 4 in the schedule to plan 13 or 14 classes.
• The end of Block 4 is still the same (June 9) to make sure that key processes for grading and graduation are not delayed
• Your instructors will need some time to adjust their schedules, but will inform you about important changes before the start of Block 4 on April 12.

Block 4 Timeline

Week 1: 12 April – 16 April
Week 2: 19 April – 23 April
Week 3: 26 April – 30 April
Week 4: 3 May – 7 May
Week 5: 10 May – 14 May
Week 6: 17 May – 21 May
Week 7: 24 May – 28 May
Week 8: 31 May – 2 June (!)
Reading Week: Thursday 3 June – Wednesday 9 June

Empathy

Of course an extended spring break is not necessary for everybody, but we ask for everyone’s empathy with those who do really need it, and to understand that this decision is based on an overall assessment of various signals that the College Board has to take seriously.

Thanks you for all your patience and cooperation in this academic year so far, and we hope that the extra week will give everybody enough energy to have a great block 4, despite the circumstances.