Public Holidays

Hi,

Today I need to talk about public holidays with you.

For 6 years we have been teaching English classes on public holidays without taking any rest. Within the last year or so we have noted two things: 

1) attendance on public holidays has been very low, and 

2) the majority of students either tell us they are not coming on public holidays or just don't turn up at all.

So mid-way through 2013 we decided that we will take public holidays off. Thus we don't need to deal with one or two students per class and unannounced absences. Students can enjoy some rare family time together, and we can also take the holiday the government have allowed us to have.

Each year there are around a dozen public holidays announced on the calendar. The days on which they fall are completely random and unfortunately they may fall more on one specific day than another. Last year they were evenly spread out; this year there are a few more on Tuesdays.

However, we have decided that we will NOT have holidays on single-day public holidays that fall during weekdays (Monday - Friday). The holidays we have selected are either 2 consecutive days or fall on a Saturday, making a 2-day holiday over the weekend.

Your understanding is much appreciated on this topic of public holidays. We do hope that you can make them meaningful times to share with your family.

Have a great 2014! We have an exciting syllabus prepared for the year and we're really looking forward to teaching you and your children and building their confidence in using the English language.