Now that our new school year is in full swing, it is time for us to make preparations for the approval of our division’s future instructional calendars. Since August, Dr. Raley has been working in collaboration with members of his administrative team to discuss potential drafts. Yesterday, he shared these drafts with his Superintendent’s Leadership Team, consisting of parents and teachers from each of our five schools. Like past and current calendars, the focus of these future draft calendars is on our instructional goal to maximize each student’s academic potential through engaging experiences and deeper learning.
Although there are some very minor differences in each version, each calendar follows a similar structure to that of our current calendar. Highlights of each of the three calendars include:
- First day of school two weeks prior to Labor Day
- Periodic breaks throughout the year for teacher professional days aligned with interim reports and the end of the nine weeks grading period
- One designated fall parent conference day
- No school on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving
- Full two weeks of winter break
- Spring break during the first full week of April to align with neighboring school divisions
- Early dismissal on the last day before winter break and the last day of school
- 180 instructional days for students
- Designated make up days if needed
Please take a moment to review the drafts for the next three school years.
Keep in mind that these calendars truly are drafts. Please feel free to send Dr. Raley a message (jraley@glnd.k12.va.us), give him a call (804-556-5601), or stop him when you see him opening cars in the morning or at our many different school events. Your thoughts and comments are welcome. Dr. Raley plans on sharing his recommended calendars with the School Board for their consideration at their meeting on November 12, 2019. No action will be taken until the Board’s regularly scheduled meeting on December 10, 2019.
