After 13,500 online survey responses, the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board discussed the school calendar Wednesday night but reached no decisions.
Here are some takeaways from the data compiled from the survey results, based on a presentation to the board by Director of Educational Technology Jeff Harrison:
- 56 percent of those responding prefer a longer summer with shorter breaks, as opposed to shorter summers and longer breaks during the school year.
- 65 percent preferred a three-day Thanksgiving break (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)
- A plurality of respondents (43 percent) disagreed with the statement that HSE should have a school calendar consistent with other Hamilton County School systems.
- Given four possible options for calendars, 33 percent voted to keep the current calendar, while 30 percent voted in favor of the current calendar with one important change . . . a full week off for Thanksgiving.
The board discussed moving fall break forward one week at the quarter break so students would not have homework. But there are issues with the timing of teachers submitting grades.
The 2018-2019 school year calendar has not been approved by the board. School administrators will be holding discussions with the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association about the calendar. Superintendent Allen Bourff says he will provide the board with a recommendation for a school calendar for 2018-2019, and some future school years as well, in December.