More Hampton Roads school districts looking to start school year before Labor Day

The longstanding tradition to start classes the day after Labor Day has come to an end for most Peninsula school divisions.

At least four of six districts will begin classes one week earlier. Only Gloucester, York and Williamsburg-James City counties began classes before the holiday this school year. Newport News will follow suit for the 2022-23 academic year, and Hampton may join.

Poquoson school officials will propose two start dates to board members during a March 15 meeting. Every South Hampton Roads school district will still start after Labor Day.

Until this school year, the first day of school for Peninsula localities had been the Tuesday after Labor Day since the mid-1980s. Peninsula districts began conversations about changing the start date after the General Assembly passed legislation in 2019 that allows school divisions to start classes up to two weeks before the holiday without special permission.

Last year, Newport News school board members chose to start after Labor Day for the 2021-22 school year based on feedback from families and staff.

The board decided last month to change that to better align with surrounding districts. Tracy Brooks, special assistant to the Newport News superintendent, said during a board meeting last month the new Aug. 29 start date is based on surveys from families and staff.

[ Previous coverage: Peninsula districts weighing starting school before Labor Day ]

School officials say starting earlier will help “address gaps in student learning” because of the pandemic’s effects, give students more time to prepare for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, provide professional development opportunities and allow students to start a summer job sooner with an earlier dismissal.

But the Newport News Public Schools community also had reservations about starting a week earlier. Those concerns included a shorter summer and an even earlier start for teachers.

“We know that the first summer to proceed a pre-Labor Day start will also be a challenge given it will be the shortest summer of the years that follow,” Brooks said.

Administrators will need to adjust schedules for other programs, such as summer school and athletic training. But in doing so, it will allow the district to implement an earlier end date (Classes will end June 9 next school year, instead of ending June 20 as they do this year).

Superintendent George Parker previously said that the board would approve next year’s calendar in the fall, instead of the spring to give community members notice well in advance. But Brooks told board members during the Feb. 15 meeting that school officials began working on the new calendar after addressing wellness concerns for employees and families because of stressors brought on by COVID-19.

During a Hampton School Board meeting Wednesday, director of innovation and professional learning Kate Maxlow presented the board with draft calendars for the next two school years that also would begin classes the Monday before Labor Day.

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The division surveyed roughly 2,700 people including employees, parents, Hampton parents who also work for the school division and students. The option to start in August (51.3%) narrowly surpassed the usual September date (48.7%). Parents were the only group mostly against a pre-Labor Day start.

Reasons for the change largely mirrored those from Newport News, as well as the possibility of two full weeks off for winter break. The presentation noted the 2016-17 school year was the last time the district didn’t give students and employees two weeks off.

The most common concern was about conflicting schedules for family vacations, Maxlow said.

Next school year, classes would end on June 12 for students and June 13 for teachers if board members approve the proposed calendars. It is unclear when the board will hold a vote.

Graduation still be between June 15-17 since the division books its ceremonies years in advance at Hampton Coliseum, Maxlow said. But school officials will look for ways to plan graduation earlier.

Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com