By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(Feb. 27, 2020) The 2020-2021 Worcester County Public Schools’ calendar, which will have shorter breaks and an earlier dismissal for students for the summer, was approved by the Board of Education during its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

Photo courtesy Carrie Sterrs
This proposed 2020-2021 school year calendar, with shorter breaks and an earlier summer release, was approved by the Worcester County
Board of Education during its monthly meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 18.

Carrie Sterrs, coordinator of public relations and special programs for Worcester County Public Schools, gave a presentation to the board that depicted the important dates, recommended by Superintendent of Schools, Lou Taylor.

“The calendar committee convened on Oct. 24 to create calendar proposals for the 2020-2021 school year,” Sterrs said. “The committee was comprised of teachers, school and county level administrators and parent and student representatives. The committee was divided into two subgroups, one focused on creating a calendar with more frequent breaks throughout the school year, and one that was focused on having little breaks in the calendar with the earliest release possible in June.”

An online survey was sent out in December to parents, employees and other representatives to consider the two calendars. There were 659 responses to the survey, with 91 percent coming from parents and employees, 4 percent from students and bus contractors and 5 percent from others.

“Results from the survey indicated a clear majority … preferring calendar option one for the early release option,” Sterrs said. “This calendar received 365 votes, which was about a little over 55 percent of the total votes received.”

For the early release calendar, the students’ spring break will fall between Friday, April 2 and Monday, April 5. This spring break is considered shorter as a result of where Good Friday and Easter falls this year, Sterrs said.

The one recommended by the superintendent was the calendar with the least number of breaks.

The first day of school will be Tuesday, Sept. 8. The tentative last day of classes, weather permitting, is expected to be Tuesday, June 15.