Shorter Spring Break Set For Montgomery County Students

ROCKVILLE, MD — A shorter spring break for Montgomery County Public Schools students is possible under a school calendar for 2018-2019 in an effort to fit the academic schedule into a state-mandated timeframe, according to school officials. The dates were approved at Tuesday's Montgomery County school board meeting.

Superintendent Jack Smith's proposal shortens spring break from ten days to six, and keeps time off for the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Smith says this plan enables the county to squeeze 180 days of school into the window mandated by Gov. Larry Hogan's order that requires schools to open after Labor Day and close by June 15.

The next school year will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, and the last day of school is scheduled for Thursday, June 13, 2019. The calendar includes 182 days of instruction; a shortened spring break; two closure days for planning and professional development; and two operational closures that coincide with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, according to the school system.

Montgomery County's school board voted to ask Hogan to extend the 2018-2019 calendar, but Hogan's office denied the request, according to WTOP. Hogan spokeswoman Amelia Chasse told WTOP: "It is disingenuous for Montgomery County officials to threaten Jewish holidays and spring break. Most jurisdictions have managed to adopt a common-sense calendar that prioritizes what students and families want, and Montgomery County could easily do the same."

"There aren't any really great options," school board member Rebecca Smondrowski told the Washington Post. "We're going to have to take things away from people that they're used to and that they value and appreciate."

See the calendar here.

See also: Montgomery County School Calendar 2017-18: Vacations, Conferences

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