Plan Pa Days

Tier 2 - Ask the user: If no internal data exists, ask: "I don't have [school] calendar data saved. Do you have the school calendar URL or PDF handy?"

• If the user provides a URL or PDF, read the document to extract PA day dates
• Save the extracted data to the internal library using the add-school-calendar skill workflow

Tier 3 - Web search: If the user doesn't have it, conduct a web search for "[school board name] school year calendar [current school year]"

• Ensure the correct school year is retrieved (e.g., 2025-2026, not previous year)
• Look for the official board website result, not third-party aggregators
• If a PDF is found, download and save it to ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/camp-planning/references/school-calendars/pdfs/
• Extract all PA day dates from the calendar and save the structured data to the internal library

Check calendar staleness: After loading calendar data, extract the school year from the ## YYYY-YYYY School Year header. Parse the end year (e.g., 2026 from "2025-2026"). If the current date is after September 1 of that end year, warn: "Calendar data for [board] is from [year]. The current year may have different PA days and breaks. Would you like to search for updated calendar data?" If the user says yes, run the 3-Tier School Calendar Lookup to find updated data.

Common Ontario school boards and typical PA day patterns:

• Most boards have 6-7 PA days per school year
• Typically: 1-2 in September/October, 1 in November, 1 in January/February, 1-2 in April/May/June
• The first day of school in September is often a PA day (staggered entry)
• PA days are board-wide; individual school PA days may also exist (less common)

Multi-board families: If children attend different schools, look up PA days per school. Cross-reference to identify:

• Both off: All children need coverage (standard PA day)
• Partial: Only some children off (mark others "In school") Present the merged PA day table showing which children are off each day.

For private schools (CRITICAL - different handling required):

• Ask the user for their school's specific calendar URL or PDF
• Private schools may call these "in-service days", "faculty days", or "professional development days"
• Dates will almost certainly differ from the local public board calendar
• Provider availability problem: Most PA day program providers (municipal rec centres, YMCA, etc.) schedule their PA day programs to align with the local public school board calendar, NOT private school calendars. This means:
  • On a private school PA day that is NOT a public board PA day, dedicated PA day programs may not be running
  • Fall back to: before/after school care programs that run all school days, general day camp operators that offer drop-in days, or parent/family coverage
  • On a public board PA day when the private school IS in session, no coverage is needed (but good to note for carpooling awareness)
• Strategy for private school families: Cross-reference private school PA days against the local public board PA days. Categorize each private school PA day as:
  • Aligned: Same date as public board PA day (easy - programs available)
  • Misaligned: Only private school is off (harder - fewer program options)
  • Present this comparison to the user so they can plan accordingly

Step 2: Present PA Day Dates

Create a clear listing:

# PA Days [School Year]
## [School Board Name]

| # | Date | Day of Week | Notes |
|---|------|-------------|-------|
| 1 | Sep 2, 2025 | Tuesday | First day - staggered entry |
| 2 | Oct 10, 2025 | Friday | Before Thanksgiving weekend |
| 3 | Nov 21, 2025 | Friday | |
| 4 | Jan 30, 2026 | Friday | |
| 5 | Apr 17, 2026 | Friday | |
| 6 | Jun 5, 2026 | Friday | |

Ask the user to confirm these dates are correct before planning coverage.

Step 3: Determine Coverage Needs

For each PA day, check:

• Is it adjacent to a weekend or holiday (making a long weekend)?
• Does it fall during a period already covered (e.g., March break)?
• Can a parent take the day off? (check work schedules from profile)
• Is it a "staggered entry" day where only some grades are off?

Categorize each PA day:

• Needs coverage: No parent available
• Covered by parent: Parent taking off or working from home
• Adjacent to break: Already handled by break planning
• TBD: Need to check with user

Step 4: Find PA Day Programs

PA day programs are different from weekly camps:

Where to look:

• Municipal recreation centres (most reliable for PA day programs)
• YMCA/YWCA locations
• Private camp operators (many offer PA day drop-ins)
• School-run extended care programs (if available)
• Local community centres
• Sports facilities (skating, swimming, gymnastics one-day programs)

PA day program considerations:

• Registration often opens 2-4 weeks before the PA day
• Municipal programs are typically the most affordable ($30-60/day)
• Some providers require advance registration; others accept drop-ins
• Hours may differ from regular camp hours
• Lunch is usually bring-your-own for single-day programs

Search strategy:

• Web search for "[municipality] PA day programs [year]" or "[municipality] PD day camp"
• Check municipal recreation registration portals
• Look for YMCA PA day programs in the area
• Ask if the school's before/after care program runs on PA days

Step 5: Build PA Day Coverage Plan

For each PA day needing coverage:

# PA Day Coverage Plan [School Year]

| Date | Provider | Hours | Cost | Dropoff | Pickup | Lunch |
|------|----------|-------|------|---------|--------|-------|
| Oct 10 | City Rec Centre | 9am-4pm | $45/child | Parent 1 | Parent 2 | Pack |
| Nov 21 | YMCA Day Program | 7:30am-6pm | $55/child | Parent 1 | Parent 1 | Pack |
| Jan 30 | School Extended Care | 7am-6pm | $35/child | Parent 2 | Parent 1 | Pack |

Step 6: Generate Output Files

Create or update:

1. <research_dir>/pa-days-YYYY-YYYY/dates.md - All PA day dates with status
2. <research_dir>/pa-days-YYYY-YYYY/coverage.md - Coverage plan for each PA day
3. Provider files in <research_dir>/providers/ for PA day program providers

Step 7: Set Up Reminders

PA day program registration is time-sensitive. Advise the user:

• Set calendar reminders 3-4 weeks before each PA day to check registration
• Bookmark municipal recreation portals for quick access
• Keep a list of reliable PA day providers for repeat use
• Check if school extended care program automatically covers PA days

Tips for PA Day Planning

Batch Planning

• At the start of each school year, look up all PA days at once
• Register for municipal programs as early as possible
• Identify 2-3 reliable PA day providers to rotate between

Cost Efficiency

• Municipal programs: $30-60/day (best value)
• YMCA programs: $40-65/day (good quality, sliding scale)
• Private programs: $50-90/day (specialty activities)
• School extended care: $25-45/day (if available, most convenient)

PA days are inherently daily — use the budget calculator's --daily-rate flag for accurate single-day costing:

python3 ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/budget-optimization/scripts/budget_calculator.py \
  --kids 2 --days 1 --daily-rate 45 --before-care-daily 8 --after-care-daily 8 \
  --format markdown

Friday PA Days

Most PA days fall on Fridays, creating long weekends. Consider:

• Parent taking a flex day (if work allows)
• Grandparent or family member coverage
• Combining with a mini family outing
• Half-day program + parent afternoon off

Related Skills

• Generate Annual Schedule - After identifying PA day coverage, use the generate-annual-schedule skill to consolidate all school-break periods (summer, PA days, winter break, March break) into one annual view.