Published: September 04, 2008 05:03 pm         

Votes being taken regarding school calendars

While the 2008-'09 school year gets under way, the public can now help the school board determine when it will end.

A poll and suggestion box has been placed on the Cumberland County school system's Web site, http://ccschools.k12tn.net, to give the public the opportunity to share opinions on how the new school year will unfold.

"We have been given a lot of suggestions about the school calendars…For example: some have suggested forfeiting fall break for spring break. Let us know what you think. We care about your opinion!" the site reports.

Votes are being taken on three possible calendars, which can be downloaded from the site.

All of the calendars include several days off for holidays, such as Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day and Memorial Day, as well as staff development, administrative sessions and breaks for fall, winter and spring.

The first two calendars are the same ones that were presented by Bruce Simmons, director of curriculum and instruction for K-5th grade, at a work session last month.

The first one includes a fall break on Oct. 13-17, a spring break on April 10 and the last day of school as June 5.

The second one features the same fall break and spring break plus a second week-long spring break on March 6-10. School would then be dismissed for the summer on June 12.

The third and newest option available has a one-day fall break on Oct. 17, followed by spring break on April 10 and the end of the school year on May 29.

According to the poll, as of 10 a.m. Thursday, each calendar received the following number of votes:

•Calendar 1 (week-long fall break and one-day spring break): 303

•Calendar 2 (week-long fall break and two spring breaks): 120

•Calendar 3 (one-day fall break and spring break): 250

The poll is expected to be up for at least another week, noted Director of Schools Aarona VanWinkle. It is unknown when a final decision will be made by the school board. A calendar could be approved during a special-called meeting or the board's monthly meeting on Sept. 29.