Parents surveyed on 2014-15 school calendar

By Alice Waugh

As they mull several options for the 2014-15 academic calendar, school officials are asking parents about whether or not to start school before Labor Day and whether to have school on certain religious holidays.

In recent years, the two Lincoln elementary schools have been closed on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Good Friday. In 2014-15, Yom Kippur falls on a Saturday, so officials now must decide the fate of the other two religious holidays. Holding classes on those days would result in an earlier end to the school year. In 2012-13, the school year ended so late (June 27) that many children missed one or more days to leave for summer camp or vacations. This year, school will end as early as June 19 or as late as June 26, depending on how many snow days are used.

Earlier this week, Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall sent an email to all Lincoln school district parents with a link to an online survey asking them for their preferences regarding four calendar options (see below). Parents have until January 2 to respond.

* if all five snow days are used

The School Committee doesn’t have a position on any of the religious holidays, committee member Todd Christenfeld said when the School Committee discussed the matter on December 5. “It’s really a practical question. We run a school and if the teachers and the kids don’t show up, theres not much point in scheduling a school day,” he said

The survey also asks parents about teacher conferences, professional days, and whether Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and Bedford High School’s schedule would affect parents’ preference for the Lincoln School’s start date. Based on what she had heard thus far from parents, School Committee chair Jennifer Glass said on Dec. 5 that she thought “they’d be more willing to be out of sync at the beginning if it meant getting out earlier in June.”

The committee will discuss the matter again on January 9 and vote on the 2014-15 calendar on January 23.