News Release
Nov. 19, 2004
2005-2006 School Year Calendars Presented To Board Of Education; December 16 Decision Expected
The DPS calendar committee yesterday presented drafts of the 2005-2006 school year calendars for the traditional and continuous-year schedules.
Similar to this year's calendars, the two drafts align as many vacation, parent conference and teacher professional development days as possible. Both allow for one parent conference day per semester and 173.5 total days of school.
If approved, the first semester on the traditional calendar would begin on Monday, August 15, 2005. The last day of school would be a half-day for students on Thursday, May 25, 2006. The calendar includes a two-day fall mini-break on Thursday and Friday, October 20 and 21 and repeats the current three-day break during Thanksgiving, two-week winter break in December and one-week spring break in March.
For continuous-year schools, the first semester would begin on Monday, July 25, 2005 The last day of school would be a half-day on Wednesday, June 7, 2006. The calendar is similar to this year's schedule, with a two-week fall break and three-week winter and spring breaks. (Bryant-Webster K-8 School will move from the continuous-year calendar to the traditional calendar starting in fall 2005.)
One proposed change is observing the Colorado Day holiday on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving instead of in August. Schools already are closed the Wednesday before Thanksgiving; under the new plan, offices also would close. (Note that in the 2004-2005 year, the non-duty day for Colorado Day would be observed during spring break for those employees whose work year began on September 1, 2004. For the 2005-2006 year, the non-duty day for all employees would be in November.)
Holidays include Labor Day in September; Veterans Day in November; Christmas Day in December; New Year's Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January; Presidents Day in February; Cesar Chavez Day in March; Memorial Day in May; and Independence Day in July.
The drafts will be accessible online at www.dpsk12.org/calendars the week of Nov. 22. The Board will hear public comment at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 2 before adopting the final calendars on Thursday, December 16. Email feedback to bernadette_rodriguez@dpsk12.org.
For more information, contact the DPS Communications Office at 720-423-3414.