Thursday, September 18, 2014

School calendars

On a motion from Foley, 2015-16 is approved
2016-17 and 2017-18 are sent to Finance and Operations for further discussion
Note that the change proposed starting that year (2016) is that we start with a full five day week of school the last week of August (as opposed to starting on the Wednesday before Labor Day, as we did this year, and will next year). Please let us know what you think!


UPDATE: I was asked why this has been proposed. (Please realize here that I am paraphrasing what was said to me.) There is concern from some in school in what is a gradual start, as Worcester has had these past few years. We start on Wednesday, attend three days, and have a three day weekend. Then we attend four days, and have a two day weekend. Only then (the second week of September, generally) do we have a full five days. It makes for--this is my word, though I am not expressing my opinion--a choppy start.
This is not about what day we get out at the end of the year; it would only move that back by two days, and we generally don't cut it too close on the end of the year.
Vacation weeks of February and April we can talk about, but there the issue generally is other districts: we have children whose parents teach elsewhere, and teachers whose children attend school elsewhere, and most districts do a February/April break pattern (in Massachusetts).
The Finance and Operations subcommittee is myself, Jack Foley, and Hilda Ramirez. Contact information is here. 

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I think the Wednesday before Labor Day is early enough!! I don't see the need for kids to go back any sooner.
I also agree with another post that people should start thinking of making February vacation a long weekend to make up for additional days.
Signed,
SBR

Unknown said...

I think the Wednesday before Labor Day is early enough!! I don't see the need for kids to go back any sooner.
I also agree with another post that people should start thinking of making February vacation a long weekend to make up for additional days.
Signed,
SBR

mbourget said...

I also think the Wednesday before Labor Day is early enough! The two weeks of short days allow for an easier transition back to school. Would teachers have their two PD days the week before that? Not all buildings have air conditioning in their entire buildings. June can be tough when it is hot and humid without AC, never mind more days in August! My opinion, either keep it the same or start after Labor Day.