While most students head back to school in September, today was the first day for at least 700 pre-kindergarten to grade 9 students of St. Patrick’s Community School.

The school offers a year round schedule, which means they have half the summer break as traditional schools, but that's replaced with a few extra days and weeks off, sprinkled throughout the year.

Principal of St. Patrick’s Terri Lynn Mundorf says the shorter summer breaks helps keep the knowledge learned last year fresh in the student’s minds.

“So we’re one of the only year round schools in Central Alberta, and it’s nice that the kids aren’t away for two months in the summer. So they’re should be more retention from their academic studies, and less reading loss over the summer.”

Christy Vandameer's daughter goes to the school, and both of them had nothing but good things to say about the schedule.

“I actually enjoy it, my daughter enjoys it, she doesn’t forget as much. They have like, every five weeks they have a break. She enjoys the fact that she can have that little break when all the other kids are still in school in regular schools. And then in the summer time, they get bored right around this time and their waiting to get back and see their friends.”

Mirajla Tecson is a grade 6 student at St. Patrick’s, and she's been going to the school since kindergarten.

She says even with a shorter summer break, they still get more total days off than traditional schools.

“I’m ok with it (the shorter summer), we have more breaks throughout the year, so yea, I’m pretty ok with that too."

School zones are now in effect near the school, which is located in the Highland Green neighbourhood.

And a reminder about the recent changes to playground and school zones in Red Deer.

School zones are in effect from 8-4:30 on school, days, while playground zones are in place from 8am until 9pm every day.Combination zones will be converted to playground zones.