Dorchester 02 calendar committee proposes two draft school calendars with midweek starts and added weather makeup days

A calendar committee made up of parents, teachers, principals and district staff presented two draft school calendars for 2026–27 and 2027–28 at the Dorchester School District Two board meeting on Sept. 22, recommending midweek student start days, a fall break and additional weather makeup days.

Jennifer Passmore, co‑chair of the calendar committee, said the group met in August and again Sept. 9 to collect input and finalize two recommendations that will return to the board for a vote in October. “By South Carolina law, the school term has to be made up of a hundred and 90 days, which that's made up of 10 staff days and a hundred and 80 instructional days,” Passmore said.

Key committee priorities included starting the school year midweek to reduce early‑week fatigue, adding a fall weather makeup day, keeping a five‑day Thanksgiving break, scheduling a staff day immediately after winter break for facilities checks and aligning spring break to Easter where possible. Committee members proposed a standalone weather makeup day in late April so that if not needed it would become a long weekend for students and staff.

Jennifer Bates, principal at Eugene Sires, said the committee also emphasized keeping fall break and avoiding a July staff start that would push teachers into work days immediately after Memorial Day. The committee recommended staff return the last three days in July with students starting on a Wednesday or Thursday in early August in both drafts.

Passmore said the committee sought alignment with neighboring districts to ease family scheduling and noted Berkeley County has already signaled a similar spring break window for 2026–27. The board discussed the drafts and set a timetable to bring the calendars back for a formal vote at the October meeting.

The presentation was informational; no vote was taken on the calendars on Sept. 22.