Coppell ISD To Vote On New School Calendar For 2018-2019 Year

COPPELL, TX — The Coppell ISD School Board is slated to choose a school year calendar for the 2018-2019 school year in a Jan. 22 meeting, which can be viewed online.

The decision will be made by the school board alone, but the public will be allowed to speak, voice concerns and ask questions during the meeting. Additionally, the District Educational Improvement Council Calendar Subcommittee will provide input to the board.

The board will choose between two options, both of which meet state requirements of 75,600 minutes of instruction and 187 work days for teachers.

Calendar One is similar to the 2017-2018 calendar. Under option one, classes will begin Monday, Aug. 20 and end May 30, 2019, which is after Memorial Day.

Calendar Two features an earlier start date of Aug. 15. Classes will end May 23, 2019, which is prior to Memorial Day. If option two is chosen, class dates at Coppell ISD will more closely align with those of surrounding districts, and the number of days before and after winter break will be more balanced.

Members of the Hindu community in Coppell have called for a break to recognize the holiday of Diwali, but the two calendar options do not provide days off for the religious holiday. Amanda Simpson, a spokeswoman for CISD, told Patch schools cannot alter calendars or give breaks for religious reasons.

In response, Coppell ISD issued a statement saying, "CISD is a culturally and religiously diverse community that respects the religious holidays of our students and their families. Any student can request to be absent from school because of a religious holiday or observance, and receive an excused absence. All students who miss school because of an excused absence for a religious observance receive one make-up day for school work for each excused absence."

Diwali will fall on Nov. 7, 2018. No Texas public schools allocate holiday breaks for Diwali at this time.

Image via Patch