Should CMS students get a longer holiday break? District wants input on 2023-24 calendar
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools wants the community’s help to decide the 2023-24 school year calendar, including the length of the winter holiday break and where teacher workdays will land.
Interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh will consider input on two proposed academic calendars and make his recommendation to the school board. Board members will vote on one of the 2023-24 calendars Nov. 9.
A survey is online at cmsk12.org. Select “Parents & Students” and then “Surveys.” The survey is anonymous and closes Wednesday. Participants can choose between calendar option A and option B.
The current academic school year calendar was approved last year.
CMS calendar options
In both 2023-24 calendar proposals — option A or B — the first day of school would be Monday, Aug. 28, and the last day of school would be Friday, June 7, 2024.
Both calendars contain the same number of vacation days for students and teachers. The number of teacher workdays would be the same, but they fall on different days depending on the calendar option.
Thanksgiving break is the same in both options, too.
CMS’ calendar committee was asked to build in six extra days to allow for early release and waived makeup days.
The total number of instructional days for both options is 177.
Proposed longer breaks
The biggest difference between option A and option B is the length of the winter holiday and spring breaks for students. In option A, the winter break would begin Dec. 21, 2023 and run through Jan. 2, 2024. Students would return to class Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, would be a teacher workday.
In option B, the winter break for students would begin Dec. 20, 2023 and run through Jan. 2, 2024. Students would return to class Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. But Dec. 20 and Dec. 21, along with Jan. 2, 2024 would be teacher workdays.
Dec. 20, in option B, would be listed as a make up day, if needed.
While spring break begins Monday, April 1, 2024 and runs through Friday, April 5, 2024 for both options, option A includes two days off for students the week prior, on March 28 and 29, which are also teacher workdays.
March 29 in option A would be a make-up day, if needed.
Option B includes March 29 off for students, teachers and staff.
This story was originally published October 24, 2022 at 10:50 AM.
