It’s official: School will start on Aug. 24 in 2016. The Board of Education on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015 approved the 2016-2017 academic calendar following extensive feedback from the public.

“This is a decision we haven’t taken lightly,” Board Second Vice President Nancy Tingey said.

The Board approved the calendar following input from nearly 250 patrons responding to an online survey open in October and November 2014, as well as recommendations by the District Calendar Committee, comprised of 23 parents, teachers, and school employees. The 2016-2017 calendar schedules school to start Aug. 24, 2016, end June 7, 2017. The calendar also includes a two-day Fall Recess, a three-day Thanksgiving Recess, a Winter Recess starting on Dec. 21 and ending on Jan. 2, and a Spring Recess during the first full week of April. In addition, the calendar includes 3.5 contract days for teachers before school starts.

The calendar is similar to that tentatively approved by the Board in 2013. Earlier this fall, the Calendar Committee proposed revising the calendar to start and end school one week earlier than shown on the tentatively approved calendar. The Board sought additional public input on the calendar proposal. Nearly 250 patrons responded to an online survey, and overwhelmingly favored the calendar with the Aug. 24 start date. The Calendar Committee reconvened to consider the additional input, and recommended the now-approved calendar.