Board of Education Moves Start of School Year to August

Summer vacation will end earlier than usual this year for Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District students. The Board of Education on Thursday at its meeting at approved a new calendar that has the 2011-12 school year beginning Aug. 30 and the 2012-13 school year beginning Aug. 22. This school year and recent previous school years had begun after Labor Day.

SMMUSD Superintendent Tim Cuneo said a benefit of the new schedule, which was was the result of a negotiation between district officials and the teachers union, is that the first semester, including final exams, will finish prior to winter break beginning in 2012-13.

“Parents and teachers have told us they would like to have that time off [and] students are not having to prepare for examinations coming back right after winter recess,” Cuneo said.

He said the new schedule will also allow students at least a week of classes following spring break prior to AP and mandated exams (now, they must immediately go into the exams after the break). Also, students will get out of school earlier in June, allowing them to be competitive in the summer job market. In addition, the new calendar aligns with the one for Santa Monica College.

Cuneo said it was decided the calendar should shift gradually in a two-year process because of requests by some parents who had already made vacation plans for this summer.

Tanya Choo, the student board member from Santa Monica High School, told the board that members of the Associated Student Body like the idea of the first semester ending before winter break, and were disappointed that schedule would not go into effect next school year.

Board President  José Escarce said, “I’m thrilled that the students feel strongly about it because even though we can’t do it next year, we’re heading in the right direction.”

The Los Angeles Unified School District had proposed a new schedule with an even earlier start than the one for the SMMUSD. However, that decision has been delayed for at least a year. Classes will begin in the LAUSD after Labor Day.