Harford County Proposes Starting School Before Labor Day In 2020

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — After a few of years of starting after Labor Day, Harford County Public Schools is proposing switching back to a pre Labor Day start in 2020. The first day of school and Veterans Day were two topics of discussion when the calendar committee this week presented its proposal for the 2020–2021 academic year.

"We did receive a lot of comment requesting from parents the post Labor Day start, and I really want to voice that for me it did not fall on deaf ears," said Board of Education member Patrice J. Ricciardi, one of two board liaisons on the calendar committee.

"Based on the late Labor Day start, we were pushed to the decision, and I concur with the decision," Ricciardi said, adding that she heard from members of the farming community directly, and she suggested adding their perspective to the committee next year.

There are 33 people on the calendar committee, appointed each year by the Harford County Board of Education, including community and school system representatives.

While their task is to come up with a proposal for the school year, the group has to work within certain parameters. There must be 180 days for students, 190 days for teachers and a minimum of six inclement weather days, according to Harford County Public Schools Manager of Communications Jillian Lader. Holidays and professional development days were also considered.

"This calendar does start four days before Labor Day," said Lader, who is the chair of the calendar committee and presented the proposal to the school board at its meeting Monday, Oct. 14.

The calendar committee has recommended students from kindergarten through 12th grade report for class on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020.

Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 7, 2020.

The final day of classes would be June 9, 2021, and if all seven inclement weather days were used, then the school year would end June 18, 2021, according to the proposed calendar.

If school started after Labor Day, students would get out June 15, 2021.

"If we have inclement weather, which we traditionally do in Maryland, students could be getting out a late as June 24th," Lader said of a post Labor Day start.

She provided a side-by-side comparison of the options:

Lader anticipated the start date would be the "largest conversation piece" and said:"I do want our community to know that they are being heard."

There is a 60-day comment period before the board can vote on the calendar.

Here are some other highlights from the proposal:

• Nov. 3, which is Election Day in 2020, is a day off.
• Schools would be closed for Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
• Spring break would include an early dismissal Thursday, April 1, 2021, and continue through the following Tuesday, April 6, 2021, which would be a professional development day.
• The calendar committee was invested in ensuring staff had full days for professional development rather than early dismissals, Lader said, and worked to ensure they were not all stacked at the beginning of the school year.

Canceling classes for Veterans Day on Nov. 11 was a cause of concern for one school board member.

Board of Education member Kathy Carmello said she was "shocked" that children would not be in school for Veterans Day. She recalled attending grandparents day at Forest Hill which happened to coincide with Veterans Day, and said she was impressed with how they were being educated about the meaning of the holiday.

"These children were learning about the importance of Veterans Day," Carmello said, something that children who were home were not learning when they had the day off.

Last year the board agreed to close for Veterans Day so this year it was recommended again, Lader said.

What Do You Think About The Proposed Calendar?

The proposed calendar is open for public comment through Dec. 13.

Here is the form for public comment on the calendar through Harford County Public Schools.

For the past few years, school has started after Labor Day in Harford County.

Gov. Larry Hogan signed an executive order in 2016 requiring Maryland public schools to start classes after Labor Day in 2017 and end the school year by June 15.

At the time, he said nearly 75 percent of Marylanders endorsed the plan, which he said had benefits on many fronts, from keeping kids out of school whose buildings were not air-conditioned to bolstering the state's economy.

This March, the Maryland General Assembly overturned the order, leaving it up to the local school board in each jurisdiction to decide whether to begin the school year before or after Labor Day.

What do you think? Tell us in the comments!

Proposed 2020–2021 HCPS Calendar

Proposed 2020–2021 Calendar