The Board of Education at their Tuesday meeting unanimously voted in favor of changes to the coming school year calendar. Adjustments to the 2015-16 calendar include changes to spring break, the addition of two inclement weather days at the end of the school year and the opening of schools for students and teachers on the Friday in October that coordinates with the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) convention. Additionally, two teacher in-service dates were moved.

The Board approved the following changes for the 2015-16 school year calendar.

  • Schools will be closed for students only on Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 12 for a teacher in-service day. Schools were originally scheduled to be closed for students only on Oct. 7.
  • Schools will be open for students and teachers on Friday, Oct. 16. Teachers interested in attending the MSEA Convention will be able to use administrative leave to participate in associated events.
  • Schools will be closed for students only on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, for a teacher in-service day and elementary school report card conferences. This was previously scheduled for Nov. 6, which is now a full day of school for students.
  • Spring break for students and teachers is March 24-28, 2016. Offices will be closed on Friday, March 25 and Monday, March 28.
  • Schools will be closed for students and teachers on Tuesday, April 26 for primary election day.
  • The last day of school for students with six inclement weather days built into the calendar is Thursday, June 16.
  • The last day of school for teachers with six inclement weather days built into the calendar is Friday, June 17.
  • Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 15, will be used as an additional inclement weather make-up date, if needed.

A proposed calendar for the coming school year was included on the April 14 Board meeting agenda due to a change in the 2016 primary election day. Last week, the Maryland legislature announced a change of primary election day from April 5, which aligned with the approved 2016 spring break, to April 26. Schools are closed for students on primary election day, causing Charles County Public Schools staff to readjust the calendar to add another attendance day for students. Maryland law requires schools to operate 180 days each school year and the Board generally approves the calendar two years in advance.

Additional adjustments to the 2015-16 calendar were presented to the Board to better provide instructional time for students and to address community concerns expressed in calendar surveys published by the school system. Charles County Public Schools annually posts a calendar survey on the school system website to solicit input from the community. Staff reviewed comments and input received from the calendar survey to make adjustments to minimalize disruption to the student schedule, and potential loss of instructional time due to inclement weather.

The deletion of school days in 2016 if they are not used will occur in the following order: June 16, June 15, June 14, June 13, June 10 and June 9. Days will not be added to spring break, allowing parents, teachers and the community to better plan for the approved time off.

A copy of the approved calendar is posted on the Charles County Public Schools website at http://www.ccboe.com/aboutus/calendar/201516ApprovedCalendar.pdf. The school system recently conducted a calendar survey for the 2016-17 school year. A summary of those results is posted on the CCPS website at http://www.ccboe.com/pr/school-system-provides-calendar-survey-results-summary.