Board Seeks More Feedback on School Calendar

After a second discussion about the school calendar for 2013-14 at last week's school board meeting, board chairman Chris Ortega put out another call for further input from families after receiving 27 emails following the first request.

Ortega said getting the feedback the board received is very valuable to them as they consider start dates, vacations, the number of days off around Thanksgiving, etc.

One word of caution made by board vice chairman Davis Powell, however, is that some dramatic changes that people have recommended, like combining February and April vacations into one week off in March, will not happen on the next calendar.

Powell said it's a conversation that would need to be had on a much more in-depth basis and could not be decided in the time the board has to make the decision on next year's calendar.

Among the things that need to be factored into making decisions on the school calendar, especially in a decision like combining vacations, is how to handle students who go to the vocational schools in Hudson and Nashua. Aligning calendars as best as they can with Hudson and Nashua helps prevent students from losing days of instruction during the year.

Board member Shannon Barnes said there would be approximately 35 students a year who could lose up to 15 days of educational instruction by not aligning vacation with those districts.

“We need to do what's best for the student body, first and foremost, that's in our charge,” Barnes said.

Ortega said the board appreciates the feedback it's gotten but it would like to see more. Twenty-seven responses is helpful but a fraction of the 1,500 families in the district.

Ortega asked the board's permission to send a letter home with younger children and use power school for upper levels to send out a notice requesting further input.

As it stands now, the 2013-14 school year is scheduled to start Sept. 3 – the day after Labor Day. Superintendent Marge Chiafery said the reason for delayed start is because they stacked teacher workshops ahead of the school year to cut down on days off during the year.

Other dates of note include holidays off – Columbus Day, Oct. 14; Veterans Day, Nov. 11; Thanksgiving recess from Nov. 27-29; Holiday recess from Dec. 23-Jan. 1; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 20; Winter recess from Feb. 24-28; Spring recess from April 28-May 2; and the tentative last day of June 16.

Chiafery said Hudson and Nashua have both already set their calendars and the three school districts align on vacations. Hudson would start the same day as Merrimack, Hudson and Merrimack would have the same Thanksgiving recess – Nashua is only taking Nov. 28 and 29. Nashua will take Presidents Day of, while Hudson and Merrimack would hold class.

The full calendar can be reviewed on the school district website. Ortega asked that anyone with further input on the schedule be in touch with at least one member of the school board by Friday, March 15. Their contact information can be found here. The next discussion, and maybe a vote on the 2013-14 calendar will be held Monday, Feb. 18.