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CCS Shares Proposed Calendar Survey Results

March 15, 2023 -- In February, Columbus City Schools launched the Academic Calendars Survey for CCS community members to gather comments and feedback about the proposed calendars for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. The proposed calendar survey period was open for more than 30 days to allow for public comment.

The District’s academic calendars are created in collaboration with the Columbus Education Association (CEA) and in consultation with principals, district administrators, and parent representation.

Families can view the proposed calendars here:

The Board of Education will consider a vote on approving the proposed calendars during its upcoming regular business meeting on Tuesday, March 21, starting at 6:00 p.m. at South High School. Prior to the business meeting, the Board will hold Office Hours from 5:15 to 5:45 p.m. to talk with community members.

Highlights:

The survey was sent out through the District’s website, social media pages, newsletters, and through emails and phone calls sent home to families. There were 382 responses when the survey closed on March 15, 2023. The survey focused on the main areas of the start of the school year, Wellness Week, resources for children during break periods, allocation of breaks throughout the school year, Spring Break, and the final day of the school year.

The first days of classes for most students are Wednesday, August 23, 2023, and Wednesday, August 21, 2024. Do you like the start of the new school years on those dates?

For those who responded no, representative comments included:

Start earlier like other districts do so that school can end before Memorial Day; there are very few summer camp and child care options available past the second week of August because many of the college students that staff these camps have gone back to school
Start after labor day.
Most summer camps end the first week of August so that leaves working parents two weeks without reliable child care. It would be better to start earlier.

In these DRAFT calendars, we continue the tradition of Wellness Week, a full week for the Thanksgiving Break. Do you like the longer break?

On a scale from 1-5 with 1 being not very important and 5 being very important, when the district has a long break or schedules multiple days of no classes in a row, how important is it that schools provide activities or resources for children to take home?

Are there any specific activities or resources you worry about not having access to during a longer break or multiple days of no classes? Select all that apply.

On a scale from 1 being not very important and 5 being very important, how important is having enough breaks/days off spread throughout the school year for your child(ren) to prevent learning fatigue?

Spring Break is traditionally tied to the Easter holiday. Would you like to see that changed?

The final dates of classes for most students are Thursday, May 30, 2024, and Thursday, May 29, 2025. Do you like the end of the new school year on those dates?

Representative comments for those who responded no included:

Would like to finish before Memorial Day
It would be helpful for childcare and work and summer camp schedules to end on a Friday
Summer camps typically start the first week of June so this works out for us.

Next Steps:

Approval of the calendar proposals will be placed on the agenda for an upcoming Board of Education business meeting. The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21. The meeting will be streamed live on the District’s Facebook page. Click here to follow the Columbus City Schools Facebook Page.