Essexville-Hampton Public Schools Release 3-Year Calendar

Essexville-Hampton Public Schools Release 3-Year Calendar

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

ESSEXVILLE, MI: The School Board of Essexville-Hampton Public Schools unanimously approved a 3-year district calendar for 2023-2024 through 2025-2026. The district issued a “Stakeholder Engagement Survey” to all families and gathered 212 responses from January-February 2023 that included families, students, teachers, staff, and future parents of the district. The below highlights feature key aspects of the 3-year calendar which will go into effect for the upcoming school year:
 

After 212 responses to a stakeholder survey in January-February 2023, and through negotiations with the EHEA and the Board of Education, we have agreed to the following:

1. 3-year public facing calendar for 2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026 in an effort to allow greater transparency and planning opportunities for families, teachers, and staff.
2. School year begins 1-week before Labor Day in which nearly 50% of stakeholders said they prefer.
3. Winter break will have 10-weekdays off over the Christmas and New Year holidays in which nearly 70% of stakeholders said they prefer for students.
4. School will be closed in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Day.
5. Alignment of federal holidays with student days off, (Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Day, and President’s Day) as requested by stakeholders.
6. A February Break for students that is aligned with the President’s Day holiday and extends from the Friday before through the Tuesday after to aid in travel for families. Note: teachers will have a professional development day on the Friday before this break.
7. End the school year as early as possible, as requested by stakeholders.
8. Reduce the half days for students from 4 to 2 to better support family challenges with childcare, as reported by stakeholders. The two student half days will be dedicated to teacher planning and grading in the afternoon.
9. Increase of 1 day of professional development for staff to support student learning and align our work to the 5-year strategic plan. The additional day, prior to the student school year starting, will allow for teachers and staff to engage in more matriculation conversations. This can better support students across the district, particularly with transition years from grades 1-2, 4-5, 5-6, and 8-9th grades.
10. Maintain the Wednesday off prior to Thanksgiving for teachers and students. Maintain the Friday off for teachers and students prior to Memorial Day; however, it will be a flex day for inclement weather days. If the district exceeds 6 closures in a year, subsequent days will need to be made up. The Friday prior to Memorial Day will be the first flex day.
11. Additional days will be needed to add to the end of the school year if the district exceeds 7 closures in one year, as prescribed by the State of Michigan.
12. All professional development days will be 6.5 hours and will be from 8 - 3:30 PM with a 1-hour lunch break, unless otherwise specified by the ISD for the ISD PD day.
13. Any changes in state law regarding student seat days and hours supersedes this agreement.

Click HERE to download the 2023-2026 School Calendar.