Workers given input on school calendar

School board members decided last week to let system employees review three proposed calendars for the 2017-18 session and indicate their preferences.
The three options were presented for consideration during the board’s March 8 meeting. In years past the calendars were first submitted to employees who were asked to vote for their favorites. In most cases the board went along with the popular choice.
But new state and federal regulations, along with the need to build in a cushion to accommodate possible school closings due to inclement weather or other natural disasters, have made it a bit more difficult to draw up an acceptable calendar.
All three proposals provide for a possible 182 class days for students with a high school graduation date of May 25. Also included are the standard holidays – Labor Day, Thanksgiving Week, Christmas/New Year, MLK Day, Mardi Gras, Easter and Memorial Day.
All calendars also provide for the dismissal of all parish schools at 1 p.m. on the Friday of the Crawfish Festival.
The three options proposed by the staff are as follows:
Option 1
•Teachers report on Thursday, Aug. 10.
•Students report on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
•Students’ last day Tuesday, May 22.
•Teachers’ last day Tuesday, May 29.
•Christmas holidays run from Monday, Dec. 25 through Friday, Jan. 5.
•Mardi Gras holidays from Monday through Wednesday, Feb. 12-14.

Option 2
•Teachers report on Monday, Aug. 7.
•Students report on Thursday, Aug. 10.
•Students’ last day Monday, May 21.
•Teachers’ last day Friday, May 25.
Christmas holidays run from Wednesday, Dec. 20 through Tuesday, Jan. 2.
•Mardi Gras holidays run from Monday, Feb. 12 through Friday, Feb. 16.

Option 3
•Teachers report on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
•Students report on Monday, Aug. 14.
•Students’ last day Tuesday, May 22.
•Teachers’ last day Tuesday, May 29.
•Christmas holidays run from Monday, Dec. 25 through Friday, Jan. 5.
•Mardi Gras holidays from Monday, Feb. 12 through Wednesday, Feb. 14.
•This calendar also includes a “fall break” where students would be off from Wednesday, Oct. 18 through Friday, Oct. 22. Teachers would undergo professional development on Wednesday and conduct parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, and be off on Friday.

(Note: Easter holidays run from Friday, March 30 through Friday, April 6, for all three options,)