School will be out for summer in a month, but that didn’t stop the Board of Education from looking ahead last week, approving calendars for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years.
Several changes were made because of security considerations.
“These changes are based on recommendations provided to us from the security committee,” Superintendent Deborah Low said. “They would rather see kids not in school during Election Day.”
School buildings are used as polling places, drawing large crowds on election days.
As a result, the board decided:
- For 2013-2014: Oct. 15 was changed from a professional development for teachers to an instructional day for students; Nov. 5 from an instructional day for students to a professional development day for teachers.
- For 2014-2015: Oct. 14 was changedfrom a professional development for teachers to an instructional day for students; Nov. 4 from an instructional day for students to a professional development day for teachers.
- For 2015-2016: Oct. 13 became an instructional day for students, and Nov. 3 a professional development day for teachers.
Ms. Low said the original plan was to have professional development days in October to extend Columbus Day weekend into a four-day weekend instead of its traditional three day format.
However, after the security assessment, the calendars needed to be changed, she said.
The number of instructional days and professional days remain the same, despite the calendar change.
Some members of the board had reluctance to make the change, fearing that giving students an additional fourth day off in November — two for Thanksgiving and one for Veteran’s Day — would be too distracting for student’s learning process.
After a brief discussion though, the board voted unanimously to approve the revised calendars.
In 2013-2014, the first day for students kindergarten through 9th grade will be Aug. 27. Grades 10 through 12 will start on Aug. 28.
Winter break will go from Dec. 23 through Jan 1.
Spring break will go from April 14 through 18.
In 2014-2015, the first day for kindergarten through ninth grade will be Aug. 26. Grades 10 through 12 will start on Aug. 27.
Winter break will go from Dec. 24 through Jan. 2.
Spring break will go from April 13 through 17.
In 2015-2016, the first day for students kindergarten through 9th grade will be Aug. 25. Grades 10 through 12 will start on Aug. 26.
Winter break will go from Dec. 24 through January 1st.
Spring break will go from April 18 through 22.