The new school year has started for 2 Ottawa schools

It was jitters and smiles for hundreds of students in Ottawa Tuesday as the school year begins.

Two Ottawa schools in the French catholic school board are welcoming back students on their first day in mid-August.

"It was great, everything went really well I think. He was very excited to see friends and we had our regular routine back," says one parent.

École élémentaire catholique Bernard-Grandmaîtrein Riverside South, and Jonathan-Pitre in Gloucester are both on a balanced school year.

The school's principal, Myreille Loubert, says they've noticed that kids have an easier time with remembering and retention because of the school calendar.

"It's a lot easier academically and physically," Loubert says. "I think they're less tired. They have those breaks, regular breaks, and then come back fresh and then we can keep going. Yeah, we noticed a difference."

With less time off in the summer, there are more breaks throughout the year. For example, March Break is two weeks long, and there is additional time off in other months too.

"We listened to the parents, we listened to the community, and they're letting all our parents know, across the whole school board, how they love the balanced calendar," said Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) superintendent Jean-François Bard. "Our trustees are letting the administration know that we need to explore more opportunities to go forward with balanced calendar schools."

Students and parents are fine with an August start.

"We love it. We love it, because we both work full-time, so it's perfect for them and for us too," one parent said.

Students at the CECCE's École secondaire catholique de l'Innovation return to class in one week, while the remainder of the board gets back to class on Aug. 29, the same day students at Ottawa's French public school board get back to class.

Students at Ottawa's two English language school boards return to classes Sept. 5.