Mary Ellen Schellenberg said she wonders why the concert can't be more inclusive but continue to be held in December. CBC

An Ottawa-area school's decision to move a traditional concert in December to February and take the emphasis off Christmas isn't sitting well with some of the parents.

Cambridge Public School in Embrun, Ont., made the decision to push the concert to February and make it more inclusive, so some students who do not celebrate Christmas would not be left out of the concert.

Parent Mary Ellen Schellenberg has three children at the school and said she was shocked to learn the concert wouldn't be happening and contacted the principal of the school.

"I just said that I didn’t think that it was right to take that promise [of a concert] from the children. It is important to families," she said.

Schellenberg, who attended the school when she was young, said the Christmas concert at the public school was always less about the Christian Christmas and more about the secular elements of the holiday.

Schellenberg also said last year's concert had Hanukkuh songs and marked Chinese New Year.

"I am happy with this concert in February and I don’t want to come across that I'm not," she said. "I just think that this concert is a tradition at that school and has been for a long time. And I don’t think our children should have to give it up."

Upper Canada District School Board spokesperson Terry Simzer said in a statement Friday that while the concert is moving to February, there will be a number of activities planned at the school, including "the Christmas tree decorating contest, a family craft evening complete with a drumming session and carol sing-along.

"And once again, students will visit a local seniors’ residence to sing carols," said Simzer.

"The only change is that the annual school concert has been postponed to February to ensure that all students have the opportunity to prepare for and participate in that presentation. This decision supports inclusivity...it demonstrates respect for all cultures," said Simzer.