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Board approves amended 2024-25 school calendar, adds March 7 and three end-of-year makeup days
Summary
The Saint Mary's County Board of Education voted Feb. 26 to amend the 2024–25 operating calendar, converting the March 7 professional day into a regular school day and designating three end-of-year makeup days; the Chesapeake Public Charter School requested a similar single-day change.
The Saint Mary's County Board of Education on Feb. 26 approved an amendment to the 2024–25 school-year calendar that converts the March 7 professional day into a student day and designates three built-in end-of-year makeup days to be used as needed.
Superintendent’s staff member Dr. Marr presented the proposal to the board, explaining the system is drawing from reserved built-in days after snow-related cancellations earlier in the winter. "We will be using 9, 10, 11," Dr. Marr said, referring to days at the end of the year that would make the school year conclude on the Wednesday the eleventh. He also said the district would maintain April 21 as a possible makeup day if additional days are required and could later request a state waiver of the 180-day instruction requirement only after exhausting calendar options.
The amendment also notes the Chesapeake Public Charter School requested a change to use March 17 as a school day; the board accepted that request alongside the system-wide amendment. Board members discussed the timing in relation to the third marking period and college testing, with one member noting that every avoidable day added before AP tests is helpful to students.
A motion to approve the amended 2024–25 calendar was made, seconded, and approved with the board chair calling for the ayes; the motion carried. The board said it would publish the amended calendar on the district website and distribute it through school messaging channels the following day.
The superintendent’s presentation to the board included contingency language: if the district exhausts the built-in and professional days and still needs more instructional days, staff will return with options to add days at the end of the year or to request a waiver from the state. Dr. Marr said the district’s historical average for used makeup days is about three days and that the proposed changes reflect that pattern.
The board did not specify an individual roll-call vote in the public record during the meeting; the chair announced the motion carried after the ayes were called.
The board indicated communications about the calendar change would be sent to families via each school’s weekly notices and the district’s regular messaging channels.
