The Board will annually adopt a school calendar that will provide for a minimum of 174 days and 1,044 hours of pupil attendance. The beginning of the school year will not generally be set more than ten (10) days prior to Labor Day.  Should the Board decide to set an earlier start date, the Board will:

• Give public notice of the meeting to discuss an earlier start date
• Conduct a public meeting
• Vote at that meeting to allow an earlier start date

The length of the school day will meet State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requirements for six (6) clock hours of instruction. A school year and school day in excess of the state required minimum may be recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the Board.   The planned calendar adopted prior to the beginning of the school year must be reported to DESE on Core Data Screen 10 by August 15 of each year, and cannot be changed after that date. Alternatively, the Board may adopt one of two alternative calendars as set out below:

• A calendar of less than 174 days that provides a minimum of 1,044 hours of instruction.Under this alternative, the school day must have a minimum of 4 hours per day and a maximum of 8 hours;or
• A calendar of 142 days(four days per week) that provides a minimum of 1,044 hours of instruction with a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 8 hours per day.

If the District's schools are dismissed due to inclement weather after school has been in session for three or more hours, that day shall count as a full day, including kindergarten.  When the total hours lost due to inclement weather exceed twelve (12) hours, the time must be made up in half- or full-day additions to the school term.

The District shall be required to make up the first six (6) school days lost or canceled due to inclement weather and half the number of days lost or canceled in excess of six days.  For purposes of this Policy, “inclement weather” shall mean ice, snow, extreme cold, flooding or a tornado, but not excessive heat.