Thousands of New Brunswick students will start their summer break earlier than expected.

The last day for students in the anglophone sector was initially scheduled to be on Tuesday, June 25.

However, the Department of Education has announced the last day will now be on Friday, June 21, similar to their counterparts in the francophone sector.

Anglophone school districts throughout the province notified families about the change on Friday.

According to memos from two districts, the change was made after discussions between the department, school and district leadership, and the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association.

“This change from the originally scheduled date reflects our collective commitment to providing the best educational experience possible while recognizing the significant achievements of our students this year,” said a memo from the Anglophone East School District.

The last day for teachers will continue to be on June 26. School staff will use this time for professional learning and preparing for the upcoming school year.

“We hope this change does not cause too much inconvenience for you, and that our learners enjoy the early start to their summer break,” said a separate memo from the Anglophone South School District.

We requested comment from the Department of Education, which sent us a copy of the memo distributed to school administrators, educators, and school support staff.

The memo, signed by Deputy Education Minister Ryan Donaghy, said ending the school year early for students “recognizes their advances made through this full year of learning.”

“It also provides school communities with an opportunity to reflect, and plan for a strong start to the 2024-25 school year.”