Mantua Elementary School student leaders welcomed superintendent Dr. Karen Garza for her visit on the first day of school. Photo by Tim Peterson.
Fairfax County Public Schools delaying their start date until after Labor Day will be a thing of the past. Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the School Board decided classes will begin one week before Labor Day, rather than immediately following it, as has been the tradition.
The board directed Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza to draft a new calendar incorporating the August 28, 2017 start date at their regular business meeting on April 28.
Breaking from tradition, the board made the move, a release said, to allow for increased instructional time before winter break, flexibility to help students and counselors with college application deadlines and in order to have the last day of school fall earlier in June.
The School Board will consider a final draft of the new calendar in late fall, 2016, and in the meantime is welcoming input from parents, employees, students and other community members.
The 2016-2017 school year calendar -- this coming year, with a post-Labor Day start -- can be found online here: www.fcps.edu/about/16-17cal.shtml.