Parameters for District Calendars
GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING CALENDAR OPTIONS
The following parameters are to be used in preparing calendar options:
I. Traditional and Single-Track Year-Round Calendar Coordination
A. One traditional calendar will be formulated each year according to the patterns and descriptions below. A minimum of three other options will be developed by making modification to this main calendar as noted in part B below.
The asterisk (*) applies to traditional and single-track year-round calendars. No asterisk indicates items applying to only traditional calendars.
1. No variances will be allowed on the following elements once the calendar has been set by the Calendar Committee and adopted by the Board:
- 178 common days that students will be in attendance. The calendar committee will set 178 common days for secondary schools and 177 days for elementary schools that students will be in attendance that are not subject to change.
- Student non-attendance days may be designated by the school as: non-contract, professional development, compensatory.
- Elementary school parent conferences and back to school night may reduce the student days to 177.
- Compensatory days will be selected from scheduled non-student days by schools. Schools may consider scheduling Parent/Teacher (SEP) Conferences at midterm rather than at the end of the term. The 4 hour minimum instructional time must be met.
Start Day: The start date of the school year is not to precede the last full week of August. (Once all traditional schools have undergone retrofit this parameter will become null and void).
End Day: is not to exceed the 2nd Friday of June.
Thanksgiving*: School will not be held the Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving week.
Winter Break: Will not exceed 10 consecutive school days.
Spring Break*: Will typically not exceed five (5) consecutive school days.
Emergency Make-up Day: The calendar committee will schedule one day per school year that will be the same for all schools.
For traditional calendars, the week preceding the beginning of school is as follows:
- There will be two contract days preceding the starting of school.
- At least one of the Professional Days/Work Days* that is scheduled before the new year begins should be designated for teacher needs and classroom preparation.
Elementary School Planning Time*: Only weeks with three or more school days may include teacher planning time.
2. Dates to be set at individual sites: These dates must be submitted by
May 1. No changes should be made after this date.Compensatory Time*
- Back-to-School Night, P/T [SEP] Conferences): To be set by each site’s SIC, as stated in the Written Agreement 15.7.13 and selected from the non-student days set by the calendar committee.
3. Dates for the end of the trimesters and quarters will be set each year by the Calendar Committee. These dates may be different for elementary and secondary schools.
B. Guidelines
1. By May 1 each year, each school must submit to Human Resources an annual calendar. Any changes after this date must follow the procedures in II.C. (Procedure for Variance Within an Established School Calendar), page 4 of this document.
2. Once school calendars are set, the calendars for district office personnel can be set. The district office must be open any time any school is in session. Under no circumstances should a change result in a school being in session on a day the district office is closed or when all other schools on the same calendar (traditional or year round) have a scheduled non-student day.
3. Professional Days will be scheduled as per the Written Agreement.
II. Policies and Procedures for Modification of School Calendars
A. Policy and Legal Requirements for School Calendar Decisions
All relevant laws, policies, and Written Agreement, Classified Handbook and Administrator Written Understanding obligations must be followed unless waived by appropriate authority.
1. The District has the responsibility to establish parameters within which the school has the discretion to make decisions regarding the calendar.
2. The school year is defined as the minimum number of instructional days and instructional hours as required by Utah State law and the Utah State Office of Education.
3. The school day is defined as the length of time students are required to be in school each day. The beginning and ending times of the school day are determined by the SIC with input from SCC and subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Schools.
4. The teacher contract work day and year are defined by the Written Agreement.
5. Paydays cannot be altered to accommodate individual calendars.
B. Required Calendar Elements
By May 1 each year, each school must submit to Human Resources an annual calendar which includes at least the following elements:1. All full and partial school days for students/teachers.
2. The beginning and ending dates of:
-teacher work year
-student school year
-grading periods
-holidays/vacations3. Beginning and ending times of full and partial school days.
4. Dates and times of Professional Days.
5. Dates and times of (P/T, SEP) conferences. [NOTE: SEOP conferences are scheduled by sites for individual students and should not impact calendar parameters.]
a. High School: 1st and 4th weeks of month;
Middle: 2nd week of month;
Elementary: 3rd week of month
b. Must be coordinated with feeder schools if varied.6. Define dates and times of compensation days from the non-instructional days as set by the calendar committee.
C. Procedure for Variance Within an Established School Calendar
Periodically schools may need a variance from their established school calendar. When that happens, it is important that all parties affected be involved with the necessary planning. The following procedures should be followed in determining whether or not to adjust the calendar.
1. Discuss the need with Support Services.
2. Clear the proposed variance with the departments of Buildings and Grounds, Child Nutrition, Human Resources, Purchasing, Special Education, and Transportation, noting projected cost increases, if any.
3. Submit a written request of the variance through Support Services for the Superintendent’s approval. Include the following:
- rationale for the variance
- signed clearance forms from the departments affected
- agreement signatures from SIC and SCC
- funding sources for any cost increases (see E-4)
4. Wherever possible, the final approval should be obtained so that parents receive no less than 10 school days notice of the change.
D. Procedure for Establishing an Alternative Calendar
1. In rare cases, a school may wish to establish a unique calendar. There must be a clearly established educational need related to the school or district strategic plan. The written rationale must be jointly developed and approved by the SCC, SIC and Support Services. The proposed plan must indicate what performance results are intended to be enhanced as a result of that plan; include goals, objectives and an evaluation process; and include a time frame.
2. Prior to proceeding with any process leading to changing calendars, the rationale must be reviewed by Support Services.
3. Drafts of the plan must be prepared with sample calendars and presented to the departments of Buildings and Grounds, Child Nutrition, Human Resources, Purchasing, Special Education, and Transportation. Each department must sign a document agreeing with the proposed plan or submit a written rationale explaining their specific objections.
4. The school must conduct extensive information exchange meetings for patrons and staff and establish that a clear majority support the calendar change.
5. After the above steps have been completed, the alternative school calendar must be submitted to the Superintendent for final review and approval. Alternative calendars must receive the Superintendent’s approval by May 1 for implementation in the coming year.
E. Other Considerations
Attempt to accomplish the following when developing a modified calendar:
1. Minimize the number of short weeks.
2. Consider temperatures in schools without air conditioning.
3. Align the prepared calendar with the single-track year-round calendar and K-12 area calendars as much as possible.
4. Secure a funding source for additional costs that are projected to be incurred as a result of a proposed calendar change.
