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Rockingham County Schools staff recommend calendar with exams before Christmas after large survey response
Summary
A district calendar survey with 1,392 responses showed strong support for 'Option 1' (exams before Christmas); staff proposed moving several workdays to create additional fall breaks and end the pre-winter semester on Dec. 18, subject to AP exam scheduling.
Dr. Perkins presented the results of a district calendar survey showing broad stakeholder support for a calendar that schedules exams before Christmas and ends the pre-winter semester earlier.
"We had a total of 1,392 responses to our calendar feedback survey," Perkins told the board, noting 805 parent responses and 587 staff responses. Parents favored Option 1 at 78.4 percent; staff favored Option 1 at 71 percent. Perkins said the survey themes centered on balancing the school year and exam scheduling, with many parents emphasizing reduced student stress if exams end before Christmas.
To respond to that feedback, Perkins described a proposed adjustment the calendar committee will consider: move an annual leave day from Jan. 4 to Dec. 22 and shift a workday to Dec. 21 so the last student day before winter break would be Dec. 18. The proposal also moves a workday to Sept. 28 to introduce more breaks in the fall. Perkins acknowledged the change reduces fall student days to 77 and increases spring days to 91.
Board members asked about potential conflicts with AP exam windows. Perkins said staff will check released AP schedules and, if necessary, return to the board with a recommendation to move optional teacher workdays.
The calendar committee will review the proposed adjustments this week and may recommend the option to the full board for approval.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 257, topfinish SEG 466.
