7 Things You Need to Know About the Proposed RRISD Academic Calendars

The RRISD School Board released two proposed 2018-2019 RRISD Academic Calendars this week and are asking the community for feedback.  Check out these changes and provide feedback to the school district if you have any comments or concerns.

The online survey for the proposed RRISD Academic Calendars will be open for feedback from January 19 thru February 5.

According to an email communication from RRISD: A team comprised of District and campus administrators, as well as parents, designed the draft calendars in alignment with the most recent calendars. Each draft option is a two-year package with calendars created with similar criteria. The committee presented these to the Board of Trustees at the Jan. 18, 2018, Regular Meeting. The RRISD Board of Trustees will review the Calendar Committee’s recommendations and the community’s feedback prior to making a decision during the Feb.15, 2018, Regular Meeting.

Keep in mind these parameters that the district used to create the proposed RRISD academic calendars:

• The calendar must include 169 instructional days and 16 professional development days.
• The District’s distinction as a District of Innovation (DOI) allows Round Rock ISD to begin classes earlier than the public school requirement of following the third Monday in August.
• The calendar option features a full-week break at Thanksgiving and 13 school days in December.
• Both calendar options feature professional development on the following days: The Monday before school begins,Columbus Day, the final day prior to winter break in December and the day prior to students returning after winter break,President’s Day, and the day following Memorial Day.

7 Things You Need to Know about the
Proposed RRISD Academic Calendars:

1. RRISD will start Earlier than most Texas schools AND Earlier than last year.  With the Texas state mandate of public schools not beginning instruction earlier than the 3rd Monday in August, both proposed calendar have classes beginning on Thursday, August 16, 2018.
2. RRISD School Year ends before Memorial Day. Sin both Options 1 & 2, the school year will end before the Memorial Day weekend.
3. Winter & Thanksgiving Breaks stay the same.  The calendar gives an entire week off at Thanksgiving and 2+ weeks at the Holidays.
4. No changes to the length of the school days. The length of the school days were increased last year but will not change in these recommendations. 
5. Banking 2 Bad Weather Days.  The committee added 885 additional instructional minutes to bank at least two days in the case of school closures or delays due to inclement weather.
6. Two 4-Day Weekends for Students.  Same as this year, staff workdays have been built in with 2 days in October and 2 days in February, giving students a 4 day weekend.
7. Staff Days are the major differences between Option 1 & Option 2.  As far as we can tell, the major difference between the 2 options the committee is proposing where the staff days fall. The Option 2 calendars have two professional development days and one teacher work day flanking the Winter Break, the Option 1 draft has one of those professional development days moved to the day following Spring Break. For students, the Holiday break is the same in either option BUT they will get an extra day for Spring Break in Option 1.

Check out OPTION 1 CALENDAR. And OPTION 2 CALENDAR.  And provide your feedback up to February 5 here.