Why a Longer Winter Break is a Nonstarter in Prince William Schools

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — Prince William County school officials mulled over an idea of extending winter break this year. They say the idea won’t work.

Here’s more in a press release:

PrinceWilliamCounty school officials mulled over an idea of extending winter break this year. They say the idea won’t work.

Here’s more in a press release:

The pilot elimination of the designated “semester exam” days for high school students, has led some to inquire about the possibility of cutting two days out of the 2013-14 school calendar (adding to the winter break) to “make up” the half-days previously scheduled in connection with the testing.

With regrets to those seeking extra days off, the idea will not work. The primary reason is that the elimination of the half-days for exams in no way changed the carefully-crafted school calendar—the half days for exams were already counted as required school days. PWCS must retain the calendar, as originally designed and announced in 2012, to meet necessary objectives. The 2014-15 calendar may provide for a longer winter break.

Calendar Facts:  

The annual school calendar is developed and announced well in advance to allow students, families and teachers to plan their schedules accordingly.

The calendar is developed to meet the strict requirement of the Virginia Code concerning the required number of days, and the requirement that schools must start after Labor Day; it provides for 182 instructional days for elementary students and 183 instructional days for middle and high school students.

Additional days are built in to allow for weather-related closings, and they may be needed at any time within the school year. Beyond these weather reserve days, there is little room for flexibility.

All decisions about student holidays and teacher workdays require tradeoffs to fit within the parameters. Consequently discussions about Columbus Day and Veteran’s Day, the length of Winter and Spring Breaks, etc. are made in consultation with a representative Calendar Committee of  parents, teachers, principals, and  employee association representatives.

Once approved by the Calendar Committee, the calendar is presented to and approved by the Superintendent’s Staff and then by the School Board. This process was completed for the 2013-14 calendar in December, 2012.

The PWCS calendar provides for the same number of school days as do those of neighboring jurisdictions. For example, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) do have a longer winter break, but FCPS has students in school until June 20, 2014; Prince William County students finish on June 17.

Extending next school year’s winter break by up to two weeks, by including a calendar proposal that has the two week vacation time built already built into it,  is an idea that will be presented at an upcoming School Board meeting on Dec. 4.

Students must be in school a total of 180 days to fulfill the state requirement of a full school year.