The LPS Calendar Committee announced recently they are adding one more day of summer break. After discussion, the LPS Calendar Committee concluded that they extend summer break by one day to give kindergarteners a better transition. The LPS School board voted Tuesday to approve the changes to the calendar at their regular meeting.
When asked for clarification, Dr. Bob Rauner, the president of the school board, explained that this change is for kindergarteners starting their first ever day of school. He said it created a less stressful environment for the new students, it made the transition smoother and it is similar to sixth graders and freshmen starting one day early, a practice that has been common in LPS for several years.
An interview with Dr. Sarah Salem, the associate superintendent for teaching and learning, gave much more insight to this new change. She explained that after feedback from teachers, the calendar committee which includes LPS staff, LEA, LPS board, teachers, parents and administrators decided to have kindergarteners start a day early to make the school year go as best as possible. Salem said that teachers will also be getting an extra day of summer, following what they have always done which is coming back five days before students.
When asked about concerns with other breaks in the school year, Salem explained that another break would have one less day. She said that fall break will be one day shorter and students will go back on October 10, 2025.
She also clarified that this change was not permanent. She said that, “We have wiggle room to move some of those dates around,” and that is due to holidays landing on different days each year, which might have an effect on the start day of the school year.