Students at two Silver Spring elementary schools will attend nearly year-round classes beginning next year in an effort to reduce the county school district’s achievement gap between students from high and low income households.
The Montgomery County Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously approved the extended calendar for Roscoe R. Nix and Arcola elementary schools.
With the new calendar, students at the two schools will report for classes on July 8, 2019 and be dismissed for summer break on June 11, 2020. The calendar will largely follow the traditional Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) calendar, observing school closures required by the state on 14 dates throughout the year. Winter break between Dec. 23 and Jan. 1 will remain, as will a 10-day spring break. Schools will also be closed in observance of the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur on Sept. 30 and Oct. 9, respectively.
Differences from the traditional calendar include a two-week break in late August and 11 scheduled early release days.
The goal of the extended school calendar is to allow those schools, which have large numbers students from low-income households, to have more instructional time. The Maryland State Board of Education approved a waiver request on Sept. 25 for the two schools to run on the extended calendar.
In her first meeting as a member of the board, Brenda Wolff voiced concern about the extended calendar, saying it could create issues for families with students in multiple schools.
“I know even when my kids were in school, you relied on one who was older to take care of the one who was younger, but if they’re not on the same schedule that could make a problem. I’m just a little concerned about that,” Wolff said.
MCPS staff said there will be options for families who want to opt out of the extended school year program, and Wolff ultimately voted in favor of the extended calendar.
