Administration considers Labor Day start
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed an executive order to start schools after Labor Day for the 2017-18 school year. The newly implemented policy does not currently apply to private schools, but JC may voluntarily decide to implement it regardless.
On Aug. 31, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed an executive order stating that for the 2017-2018 school year, Maryland schools would return from summer break after Labor Day. This executive order will apply only to Maryland public schools.
According to the website Maryland.gov, “Starting Maryland public schools after Labor Day is not just a family issue – it’s an economic and public safety issue,” Hogan said. While schools will start later, they will still have to complete the standard 180 school days required by state laws, and dismiss for summer vacation by June 15.
Exceptions to this order will be given to schools who fill out an application and have a just reason for not following the newly-implemented school year policy. The State Department of Education will work with individual schools who receive an exception to formulate their schedule.
The new policy, however, is not mandated for private schools. For example, JC is a private school that does not follow the calendar of public schools. In addition, according to the U.S. Department of Education, private schools in Maryland are only required to complete 170 school days. Since JC’s calendar and required number of days differ from public school requirements, JC has not decided whether they will follow this policy or not, but may voluntarily decide to implement it.
Vice Principal of Student Affairs and Technology Brian Powell is in favor of implementing the new policy at JC, hoping to start the year later and waiting to start Christmas break until later. “My goal is to have a preliminary calendar put out in the next month or so that will have our first day after Labor Day,” Powell said.
Sophomore Elizabeth Schucker is hoping JC won’t make any calendar changes for next year. She doesn’t mind that the new policy is currently for public schools only. “It might mean less of a break in school. Would you want more of a summer, or more time off during the school year? I would not care about about a week longer [in summer] and would rather have a longer spring break,” Schucker said.
Taylor Bynion is a Copy Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.
