Evergreen Public Schools students may see some changes to the school year schedule next year, as the district explores options for including a built-in snow day in its schedule.
Among the most significant changes, Superintendent John Deeder told the Evergreen school board Tuesday, are a week-long Thanksgiving break for students, a shortened winter break and a built-in snow day in mid-February.
The Evergreen school board will consider approving the schedule at its next meeting, after members briefly discussed next year at a first reading of the policy Tuesday.
If the schedule is approved, students will start school on Aug. 30. They would have Labor Day, Sept. 4, off, as well as Oct. 13 for a teacher in-service day and Nov. 10 in commemoration of Veterans Day.
The Thanksgiving break would start Nov. 20, though teachers can work on a volunteer basis to take advantage of professional development opportunities, Deeder said.
In exchange, the last day before winter vacation will be Dec. 20, with students returning on Jan. 3, a nine-day break rather than the 11-day break students had last year.
Students will have Jan. 15 off for Martin Luther King Day, followed by another day off on Jan. 29 for semester break and teacher grading.
Students would have another break on Feb. 16 and 19, bookending a weekend, but “if we have another year like this year, and let’s hope not,” Deeder said, that Friday will be a school day if the district has had to cancel days for snow or inclement weather.
Students will have April 2 through April 6 off for spring break, May 28 for Memorial Day and school will end June 14 unless extra days are added.
Evergreen Public Schools canceled eight days of school due to this year’s historic snow and ice storms, and has requested a waiver from the Superintendent of Public Instruction to waive four of those makeup days. Students will be at school through June 20, and attended school Feb. 17, which had been scheduled as part of a Friday-through-Monday Presidents Day weekend.
Building that day into the schedule to begin with is a departure from previous policy, Deeder told the school board.
“One thing I like, this has predefined makeup days,” school board Vice-President Todd Yuzuriha said at last week’s board meeting.
The board will consider approving the calendar at its 5:30 p.m. meeting March 14.
