Calendar News

Calendar Update

An Open Letter to RCEA Members

The calendar committee met on Tuesday, October 30. There were several items considered. Overall the RCEA Calendar Committee members (exec board at-large reps) felt that Central Office had done a good job with the proposal they made. For instance, there were no conference days scheduled on Wednesdays and for the first time in memory, Roanoke County has been allowed to use bank days as the first 3 snow days instead of using make up days. After the first 3 days are used, we will be alternating make up days with bank days to use the other 2 bank days if necessary. Also, Good Friday will be part of our spring break as it is proposed that spring break fall on the week prior to Easter.

There is one area that we as a committee and hopefully you as RCEA members would like to see changed.

We have the opportunity, for the first time in many years, to be able to have a full 2 weeks of winter break. As the calendar proposal currently stands we would begin school on Monday, August 25 at the suggestion of the school board. Our winter break would begin on Wednesday December 24, Christmas Eve. We would return to school on Monday, January 5.

This schedule offers several concerns/opportunities. First, by beginning on the August 25, we would have a full week in school on the first week. In the past this has been considered difficult for both teachers and students returning from summer break. Second and most importantly, Monday, December 22 and Tuesday, December 23 would be wasted days for instruction in our calendar. With our responsibilities, and level of accountability as teachers constantly rising, we need every day in school to be productive or at least potentially productive. Common sense would dictate that the 2nd and 3rd days before Christmas would be academically unproductive at best.

The calendar committee, along with others present at the RCPS Calendar Committee meeting, have proposed that school begin 2 days earlier in August, thereby addressing each of these concerns.

If we begin on Thursday, August 21, we would have a partial week for the first week of school which would facilitate orientation and acclimation activities. We could then change December 22 and 23 to break days, preserving our instructional integrity and perhaps a bit more of our sanity.

RCEA will present this idea to the school board during citizen’s comments at the Thursday school board meeting.

Just letting you know what’s going on in the world of calendar creation. If you are in need of further information, please let one of us know.

Good luck and take care,

Tim Summers

RCEA Elementary Representative

Sheila Salisbury

RCEA Middle School Representative

Sara Cann

RCEA High School Representative