Friday, December 9, 2016

One More Calendar Blog


Starting School After Labor Day 2017

At its December 8 meeting the Calvert County Board of Education agreed to send out a revised school calendar for review and public input.   Although a calendar for 2017-18 school year had already been approved last spring, the Executive Order from Governor Hogan requiring that school begin for students no earlier than the Tuesday after Labor Day required us to reconvene the calendar committee.

This calendar will draw a lot of comments I am sure.  You can see it here:  http://bit.ly/2h6DzcM

Our previously approved calendar had five days for students prior to Labor Day weekend so we are tasked with scheduling 5 more days for students after Labor Day.  Our previously approved calendar also ended on June 7.  Though it would appear we could easily add those 5 days to the end of the year to be in compliance, I directed the committee not to do that.   More days in June have little instructional value and no potential for improving student performance results – graduation is over, AP exams are over and PARCC test is over.  We need to get those days in before May.

The recommended calendar has an impact on some traditional non-student days that will no doubt raise eyebrows.

1st - Youth Day for the County Fair, traditionally a day off for students, is proposed to be a day of school for students with a 2 hour early dismissal.

2nd – What had been previously 6 days off for spring break has now been cut to 3 days  - Thursday, Friday and Monday around Easter weekend. 

If you look at our options, there aren’t many.  The recommended calendar still proposes no school for students on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  We have heard from some who want to keep Youth Day that we should have school on that day in November instead. 

For those who want a full week for spring break, it would appear that extending school into June would be our only option if we were to make that happen.

The board is accepting comments on this proposed calendar for the next few weeks and will be asked to approve this or modifications to it on January 12.  Every comment is considered.   Send your calendar comments via email to Karen Maxey  maxeyk@calvertcounty.education