CHATTANOOGA (WRCB)- Despite new proposals that would have shifted vacation days to Thanksgiving week or summertime, Hamilton County teachers love
their week-long fall break, and prefer to keep the school calendar for 2013-14 similar to the current schedule.
In a recent survey of certified and full-time
classified employees, almost 2700 responded. 59 percent preferred a calendar that would require teachers
to report on August 2nd, with an August 8 class start date. The plan,
called "Draft # 1," allows a fall break of October 21-25. This calendar
is similar to the one used this year, and in recent years by Hamilton
County schools.
The runner-up plan (Draft # 2) would have
required teachers to report on August 1, with the first day of classes
set for August 7. The weeklong October fall break would have been cut back to a long weekend, with a Friday and Monday off.
Only 36 percent of school district employees chose this plan.
The least-popular option (Draft # 3) would have eliminated fall break, resulting in a later school start date (teachers reporting August 12, students on August 16). Only 4.6 percent of employees chose that option.
The preferred calendar proposal lists May 28, 2014 as the last day of school.
School Board members are expected to approve
"Draft #1" as the official 2013-14 school calendar at their monthly
meeting on Thursday.
