More parents are removing their children from schools outside of the traditional March Break period. (CBC)

Schools are closed this week in New Brunswick for March Break but increasingly families are extending their vacations beyond traditional school holidays.

Teachers are forced to adapt to the growing trend of more parents either extending the March Break or taking vacations during other parts of the school year.

Gary Wilson, a vice-principal at Moncton High School, said parents should not take the decision to remove their children from school lightly.

"You really have to look and sit down at the start of the year and say: What's a reasonable number of days for students to miss in the school year, knowing they are going to miss some time for sickness and some time for family obligations. It's all about striking a balance," he said.

"Once you get over a couple of days, you really have to start asking if that's the best choice or even the best message we want to send to our students."

Trips outside of March Break often mean teachers have to put in extra time preparing special assignments for the students while they are away.

Wilson said teachers also have to contend with tournaments and other events that take students out of school for days at a time throughout the year.

The school administrator said the emphasis should be on educating the child.

"Right now for children, their job is to be in school," he said.

"So to take care of their job and for schools and parents to help them learn how to handle that responsibility first, really goes a long way."

Learning beyond the classroom

Some parents, such as Amanda Cleary, are still deciding to take their children out of school outside of the traditional March Break.

Cleary said planning a family trip during March Break just wasn't an option so she took her boys out of school for 10 days in February.

“I think family time is just as important ... and just because we can't get that during the structured educational time, I don't think that we should lose out on that opportunity,” she said.

Cleary said her son's entire class had the opportunity to learn from their trip in the Caribbean through a presentation and souvenirs he brought back to share.

She said learning doesn't stop when you board an airplane.

"He probably did more reading while we were away than he would have had I kept him in school," Cleary said.