School System Needs Your Input for 2013 Calendar

During November and December of 2012 the Douglas County School System surveyed parents and employees to gather their input then used the information to design future school year calendars. Opinions expressed by the majority of the 3,256 participants regarding start and completion criteria as well as holiday preferences were used to develop three calendar options. Members of the Douglas County Board of Education reviewed survey results and the three calendar options at their January 7, 2013 meeting. Insight from the calendar survey will be used by Dr. Pritz to help make his recommendation to the Board on January 22.

“Parents, staff and community stakeholders of the Douglas County School System are invited to express their opinion on which of three calendars recently developed will be implemented in 2013 and be used as the pattern for calendars in the two subsequent years,” said Superintendent Dr. Gordon Pritz. “We recognize that our opinion poll is not a scientific survey and allows for the possibility of outside voters and unethical potential multiple entries from individuals. Please express your opinion only one time, even if you are a parent of multiple children and/or you are both a parent and an employee. Results of the survey will not determine the selected calendar but will be used to help shape my recommendation to the Board and their final decision.”

The survey ends at noon on January 17, 2013. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CalendarSurveyThreeOptions

These are the three choices offered in the survey:

Option One: Early Start

July 29-Aug. 2: Preplanning (5 days)
Aug. 5: Semester Begins on Monday
Sept. 2: Labor Day
Oct. 14-18: Break (5 days: Monday-Friday)
Nov. 25-29: Break (5 days)
Dec. 20: Semester Ends (89 days)
Dec. 23-Jan. 3: Break
Jan. 6: Teacher Work Day (1 day)
Jan. 7: 2nd Semester Begins
Jan. 20: MLK Jr. Holiday
Feb. 17-21: Winter Break (5 days: Mon-Fri)
April 4-11: Spring Break (6 days: Fri-Fri)
May 26: Memorial Day Holiday (1 day)
May 30: Semester Ends (91 days)
June 2-5: Post Planning (4 days)

Option Two: Late Start

Aug. 5-9: Preplanning (5 days)
Aug. 12: Semester Begins on Monday
Sept. 2: Labor Day
Oct. 14: Break (one day: Monday)
Nov. 25-29: Break (5 days)
Dec. 20: Semester Ends (88 days)
Dec. 23-Jan. 3: Break
Jan. 6: Teacher Work Day (1 day)
Jan. 7: 2nd Semester Begins
Jan. 20: MLK Jr. Holiday
Feb. 17: Presidents’ Day (1 Day: Monday)
April 7-11: Spring Break (5 days: M-F)
May 23: Semester Ends (92 days)
May 27-30: Post Planning (4 days)

Option Three: Mid-week Start

July 31-Aug. 6: Preplanning (5 days)
Aug. 7: Semester Begins on Wednesday
Sept. 2: Labor Day
Oct. 11 and 14: Break (2 days: Friday & Monday)
Nov. 25-29: Break (5 days)
Dec. 20: Semester Ends (90 days)
Dec. 23-Jan. 3: Break
Jan. 6: Teacher Work Day (1 day)
Jan. 7: 2nd Semester Begins
Jan. 20: MLK Jr. Holiday
Feb. 13, 14, 17: Winter Break (3 Days: Th., F, M)
April 7-11: Spring Break (5 days: M-F)
May 23: Semester Ends (90 Days)
May 27-30: Post Planning (4 days)