One week in March is fine!

One week in March is fine with me as well. Also, let's get rid of the election/primary days. There are plenty of other buildings in town that can be used instead of the schools.

I would support a start after Labor Day and a one week break in March instead of February and April.

One weel break in March make SO much more sense. Having school cancelled on Election Day/ Primary Day and all the other "Holidays" just makes parents, especially working parents crazy. In real life, noone gets that kind of time off.

AP exams are in May. It is an disadvantage for EGHS student because they have to learn more in shorter period than those students starting at mid August and end in May. I will vote to start schools in mid August and end in May.

What about including a consideration of year round schooling in this discussion?

I would also support a start after Labor Day and a one week break in March instead of February and April.

As someone who taught in those June classrooms for 32 years, with no air conditioning, low ceilings, and windows that either didn't open or opened in, it's merciless to teach into mid June....and very little learning happens in that environment. Please consider that in your decision making.

Now air- conditioned retired teacher

School district will have to pay more to teachers/staffs for a year round schooling. I am not willing to pay for more property tax. I would rather city to pass the about $13,000 per student spending to us and we send our kids to private schools.

There are currently 15 scheduled days off in the first 4 months of school (late Aug. through December break) and 13 days off for the next 5 1/2 months (Jan. through mid-late June). There isn't a full week of school for the entire month of September or for most of November. I don't think the answer is to limit vacation time to 8 days total for the much longer spring semester (i.e., have only 1 week of vacation in March.) There are several days off in both the fall and spring that could be eliminated without making vacation time lopsided (e.g. election day, Veteran's Day, elementary school parent-teacher conferences, good Friday). While many private schools have a 2-week break in March (not one), most public schools have traditionally had both a Feb. and April break.

FYI, I inadvertently cut off the end of my story when I posted it last night. It is there now.

My 2 cents would be to add Professional Development days on the Election/Primary days and use the building to train staff, as well as use for election purposes. I still prefer Feb and April vacations as then we always have April vacation to truncate is natural events occur. I personally can use the time off and get caught up and/or pay it forward.

Many of the staff have appreciated Dec 23rd off as well so we can set up and travel to our families. It was a nice choice several years ago that some years makes complete sense to do. Please consider that option when the month allows it.

My 2 cents would be to have off 1 day for Presidents day as it is almost a Federal holiday like Columbus day and Veteran's Day, Memorial Day and MLK day. Then have off a week in March which in some years will link up with Good Friday.
Leave Rosh Hashanna/Yom Kippur alone as it can fall on a weekend. Not every year is a bad snowstorm year and Super storms like Sandy. Some years the Christmas holiday vacation week/week 1/2 are longer that other years, can that be looked at on a case by case basis? We don't have elections/primaries every year either... This way the children would get out mid June....Just a thought

Elections should not be a day off from school. We used to have school on Primary and Election Day and should be able to do it again. I can see using Election Day for Parent-Teacher Conferences instead of instruction, but the Primaries really should not take out a school day. I'd like to keep the Monday holidays of Veteran's Day, MLK Day, President's Day & Memorial Day, and I'd be willing to give up the weeks in Feb & April in favor of 1 week in March. I look forward to the survey!

Is education voucher available from town? This is like congress and nothing will be agreed and done.

I'd love to ignore the 1 day federal holidays; "float" them into a week long break, and consider having a fall one-week holiday, winter two-week holiday, and spring one-week (20 days total) for the whole year. They could demarcate the boundaries between quarters. Nine full weeks of school, 1 week break, 9 weeks school, 2 week break, 9 weeks school, 1 week break, 9 weeks school, summer. The time in school is more solid, kids get out earlier, and they can rest between marking periods.

I personally don't mind starting before Labor Day. I feel it gives a gradual start to the school year with three days on, three off, four on, two off then five on which is particularly nice for younger children and the students who need to adjust their sleep schedules back to a 6 or 6:30 wake time.
I would also be strongly in favor of eliminating primary Election Day as a school holiday and have spoken to Rep Guirisso (sp??) about it. Moving parent teacher conferences and the PD day to Election Day has been done in EG before and seems like an easy saving of a day off and provides more continuity in class. I would also s e in favor of having both Good Friday and The Fall Jewish holidays as school days and allow absences for religious reasons (no test to be scheduled those days).

Will input from the school employees be part of this discussion. I think we could gain valuable information from teachers and administrators about the routines that work best at their school. They will be able to help the school committee figure out when optimal learning takes place.