Norwalk Has a New Calendar, Last Day and Graduation Dates

For the first time next year, Norwalk students will have school on Veterans Day and the second day of Rosh Hashana and February break will be shorter. The last day of school (barring snow days) will be June 12, well before the late June end dates the district has had in recent years.

On Tuesday evening, the Board of Education voted 5-2 to adopt a new school calendar for 2011-12 that breaks from tradition. Over the last several months, Superintendent Susan Marks worked with a calendar committee made up of parents, teachers, administrators and union representatives to create a calendar that has more instruction time for students, was family and employee friendly and was similar to other districts.

Because the committee did not reach a consensus, Marks had presented three calendar options at the last school board meeting. She, herself, supported the one that passed Tuesday. The other options were a “status quo” calendar and one that had Veterans Day and the second of Rosh Hashanah off but kept February vacation intact.

Board member Glenn Iannaccone, who voted for the new calendar, said, “It is great idea to have kids in school on Veterans Day. Not enough is done now to honor the veterans.” Marks said she has already reached out to veterans’ groups to participate in school activities that day.

About the second day of Rosh Hashana, Marks said, “Students would be able to take appropriate leave and have excused absences.” Board member Sue Haynie added that one day of Rosh Hashana was “respectful and adequate” and reminded the board that Norwalk students come from a variety of religious backgrounds and should be able to take off their holidays as needed.

Haynie also reminded her colleagues that this year’s make-up snow days during February vacation cost the board $50,000. The new calendar allows for ample make-up days at the end of the year.

Board member Jodi Bishop-Pullan, who also voted in favor of the calendar, expressed concern that the end date was too early for some parents because many camps do not start until the end of June. She said many field trips, especially overseas ones, occurred during February break and wanted to make sure that the board would still support these trips. Marks said that she would work with the district’s after-school programs to make accommodations for working parents.

At the request of board member Steve Colarossi, Marks added a fourth option that kept the second day of Rosh Hashana as a holiday but shortened February break. Colarossi voted for that option.  Board member Migdalia Rivas voted against the winning calendar but did not explain her vote. Erin Halsey and Heidi Keyes were not present for the vote.

During public comments, Bruce Mellion, president of the teachers’ union, reminded the board that the Norwalk teachers he polled favored the “status quo” calendar by 60 percent. He offered an alternative option to the board, which kept the second day of Rosh Hashana and had five days off for February break.

“This is a big change,” said Bishop-Pullan.  “We’ll need a good assessment, attendance information and feedback next year.”

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The last day of school in Norwalk is set for June 22, according to Superintendent Susan Marks, who announced important end-of-year dates at Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting. Marks also said graduation dates have been confirmed. Briggs High School will graduate June 20, Brien McMahon's graduation takes place June 21, and Norwalk High seniors graduate June 22. Middle school graduations are scheduled for June 16.

Ponus Ridge Middle School’s last date, however, will be June 23. Its later end date is tied to the extra day off its students had in January when a water pipe accident caused extensive damage to the school.  The superintendent said that she applied for a waiver from the state to not make up that day, but it was denied.  Before the school year ends, the high schools still have five early dismissal days and the elementary schools have three early dismissal days.

Back-to-back snowstorms this winter caused the cancellation of several days of school. Six days needed to be made up to comply with the state’s 180-day school year requirement. As a result, the Board of Education scheduled three of the makeups during what was supposed to be a weeklong February vacation. It also eliminated the March 25 professional development day and added two days in June.