Schools start, end earlier

By Alice Felts

The school calendar for 2008-09 looks a little different from years past, and most who have reviewed it seem pleased.

The first day of school for students would be Aug. 25, with the student school schedule ending June 18, 2009 — more than meeting the required 180-day school year.

Although school will start before Labor Day, the year's scheduled plans include five built-in makeup days due to inclement weather.

If more makeup days are needed, school officials plan on using some “banked” time. Such time allows school districts to use time in the excess of 990 instructional hours to offset teaching days missed.

If all of the built-in weather days are not used, the school year will be shortened accordingly.

Half days during exams will be the same date for all public schools, regardless of grade level. December holidays will be for two full weeks, and spring break will be extended to include the Monday after Easter.

Two parent-teacher conference days during the year will be held from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be holidays for students.

Veteran's Day will be used for one of the parent-teacher conference dates and will become a work day for 12-month employees. Instead, President's Day will be a holiday and not used as a makeup day.

There will also be a holiday on May 1 in observance of Fauquier County's 250^th anniversary celebration.

Some student holidays remain the same: teacher work days, Labor Day, the Thanksgiving holiday, including Wednesday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President's Day and Memorial Day.

There are some changes for teachers, as well.

According to Karen Parkinson, school and community education coordinator, “The 'flex day' which allowed teachers to work in their rooms in two-hour increments on days of their choosing between Aug. 1 and 18, has been eliminated. In exchange, teachers will receive at least one and a half days of unencumbered time to work in their rooms during the week of Aug. 18-22.”

Input for the calendar draft was provided by the Superintendent's Employee Advisory Committee, school division staff members and the School Support Council comprised of a parent representative from each school.

The school board indicated its approval of the calendar and will vote on it at its April meeting. Sally Murray, Center District board member, encouraged the public to review the calendar and provide feedback.

To view a draft of the 2008-09 calendar, visit www. fcps1.org.

E-mail the reporter: afelts@timespapers.com.