If we somehow had superintendent-like powers (we know, that’s not how it works), our guiding idea would be simple—maximize time off when the weather is good.
First, get rid of February vacation week.
Most people can’t really say why it exists. One explanation floating around goes back to the Iranian oil crisis in the 1970s—when heating schools got too expensive.
Whatever the origin, February break doesn’t serve much purpose now. The weather is miserable, travel is expensive because all of the northeast is off at once, and for working parents, it’s a logistical headache just a month and a half after December’s two-week vacation break.
Second, start after Labor Day.
The next school year begins on Aug. 27. Students go for three days, take a day off for state election primaries, go two more days, then have two more days off. That’s three days off in the first eight possible school days.
It’s hard for students, teachers, or parents to settle into a routine with a schedule that fragmented.
Third, consolidate the scattered half-day professional development days.
Once a month, students also have a half-day and teachers attend a few hours of a professional development session. From what we hear, even teachers don’t find these short sessions useful because of the length or subject matter. And the benefit is unclear to families.
Why not group at least a few of these half-days into full-day workshops on subject matters the teachers value? That way, teachers could really focus on topics important to them—maybe at the beginning, middle, and end of the year—to prepare, adjust, and reflect. And why not provide updates to parents to gain buy-in; what is being covered in these sessions and how it is being implemented and evaluated in classrooms?
If changes like these were made, the calendar would look different: school would start later – (the Tuesday after Labor Day, April vacation week would move to March, and school would end earlier – in early June, with fewer interruptions along the way. So, what would that mean?
For starters, everyone—kids, parents, teachers—would get more time outside during the best weather of the year. A few extra warm, sunny days go a long way.
It would also help avoid students in school during the hottest parts of late June and late August. This year, the district needed a waiver just to end on June 26th instead of June 29th because of snow days. That matters because many schools don’t have air conditioning, the planet is only warming, and energy costs aren’t getting any cheaper.
For working parents, a more consistent calendar would ease a lot of stress. Fewer disruptions during the school year mean less scrambling to juggle jobs and childcare, something most families know all too well.
And finally, it would give teachers dedicated, meaningful time to sharpen their skills on subjects they value. Instead of squeezing development into a few hours after teaching all morning, they’d have the space to learn, plan, and bring new ideas into the classroom.
A few tweaks to the schedule could go a long way—without changing what’s already working so well.
– Katie Linehan and Collin Ward