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Acting Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso presented a draft of next year's school calendar Monday.  While the calendar is still only a draft, Pettegrasso told the Board of Education that school will start the day after Labor Day next school year.  She outlined a series of 'half days' that will allow for teacher training after students are sent home.  Pettograsso says half days are difficult for families and for teachers, but they are needed because of training required for an increasing number of State mandates.

"I know for families half days are difficult," she said.  "There is no other method to reach our faculty.  After working a half day, half days of training are difficult for faculty as well.  We could do it another way, but this has been the most cost-efficient way that works with our calendar."

What makes half days cost-efficient is that the State requires a certain number of 'student days' in the school year.  Half days count as 'student days'.  The teacher contract specifies a number of days as well, which makes adding days for training potentially costly.  The alternative would be to cut some of the vacation breaks or extend the school year.

Pettograsso added that a two week winter vacation is planned.  She said that districts across the TST BOCES region are coordinating to align their calendars, but they will not exactly align. She noted that Ithaca and Newfield are considering starting school after September 6th next year so that class days will not conflict with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New year, one of two Jewish High Holy Days observed this September.  Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, begins on a Friday this year, but because Jewish holidays begin at sundown there is no conflict.

"There is low attendance on those days," Pettograsso said.  "Many of the faculty and families are celebrating the holiday.  It's not something we are looking at right now, so we are looking at starting on the 3rd."

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