Manassas Schools To Open Before Labor Day

The carefree days of summer will end the week before Labor Day this year for students in the Manassas City Public Schools.

The Manassas schools will join the Prince William County public schools in opening on Monday, Aug. 31, according to Almeta Radford, a spokeswoman for the Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS). The city’s School Board on Jan. 13 approved a revised 180-day calendar for the 2015-’16 school year that includes the earlier start date.

Labor Day this year falls on Monday, Sept. 7. The last day of school is now listed as June 16, 2016.

Virginia law typically prohibits school districts from starting prior to Labor Day, according to an MCPS statement. However, the Virginia Board of Education can waive the requirement. Recently, the Prince William County Schools (PWCS) adopted the early start date by meeting exemptions in state law.

The decision by PWCS enabled the Manassas schools to meet a “good cause” option in Virginia law, according to the MCPS statement. The law states that if a school district is entirely surrounded by another district that has an opening date prior to Labor Day, it can open schools on the same date.