Board Adopts Fulton School Calendars

Photo credit: Patch file

The Fulton County School Board on Thursday adopted the calendars for two upcoming school years.

The board approved the calendars for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years. The 2015-16 school year will begin on August 10 with an ending date of May 26 while the 2016-17 year will begin on August 8 and will end on May 25.

Additional highlights include a short break for students in October as well as a full week off in November at the Thanksgiving holiday.

Both also include a two-week holiday break in late December/early January as well as a weeklong spring break in April. Three dates for potential weather makeup days also are included in each calendar.

The calendars also restore one instructional day, bringing them both to 179 days. Several years ago, the calendar was trimmed to 177 days as a cost-saving measure but the school board pledged to restore the calendar days gradually until a 180-day school year is reached. Prior to the calendars’ adoption, input was collected in October and November from parents, principals, teachers, students and central office departments.

Board members also approved the first step in acquiring new materials for Advanced Placement Spanish classes in high schools.

Parents, students and staff are invited to review the materials and comment at two locations: Independence High School’s media center (display hours 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday) and the Fulton County Schools’ Administrative Center (display hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday) in the second floor lobby.

The College Board, the organization that coordinates the Advanced Placement program, is making changes to some of its national exams, requiring new materials to be adopted. The AP Spanish Literature and Culture materials under review were first vetted by the Fulton County Schools’ Humanities Department and align to the new AP exams.

The materials will be on display until Jan. 12, 2015, and the feedback collected will be shared with the school board for final approval.