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Draft A

Draft A of the 2018-19 District Calendar (text highlights are included below image)

Highlights of Draft A

    • School starts for students on August 20, the first day allowed by state law.
    • Early dismissal days are planned for August 24, October 22 and December 20.
    • Half days are planned for December 21, May 30 and May 31.
    • First semester ends in December.
    • Semester days are unequal; first semester contains 86 days while second semester has 94.
    • If school is cancelled first semester for inclement weather (as has happened in the past 3 school years), an already shortened first semester will be even shorter.
    • Last day for students will be May 31.

Draft B

Draft B of the 2018-19 District Calendar (text highlights are included below image)

Highlights of Draft B

    • School starts for students on August 20, the first day allowed by state law.
    • Early dismissal day is planned for March 22.
    • Half days are planned for December 19, May 30 and May 31.
    • A parent-teacher conference day is scheduled for October 26.
    • Semesters both have 90 days.
    • Last day for students will be May 31.

Draft C

Draft C of the 2018-19 District Calendar (text highlights are included below image)

Highlights of Draft C

    • School starts on August 23; the mid-week start generally helps younger learners who are learning routines.
    • Early dismissal days are planned for February 15 and May 24.
    • Half days are planned for December 19, June 6 and June 7.
    • Professional Development Days and Teacher Workdays are separate from Weather Days so they are not likely to have to be rescheduled.
    • Semesters both have 90 days.
    • Last day for students will be June 7.

Calendar Requirements for 2018-19

    • 180 instructional days for students and 190 employment days for teachers including 10 teacher days of which at least 3 must be professional development days

    • State testing program –

      • Grade 2 Gifted and Talented Screening (IA and CogAT)
        Tentative: Five days between the last week of October through the second week of November

      • Grade 11 College-Ready Assessments (The ACT/SAT)
        Tentative: First two weeks of March

      • Grade 11 Career-Ready Assessments (WorkKeys)
        Tentative: Last two weeks of March

      • Grades 3-8 Assessments (SC READY and SCPASS)
        Last 20 days of school

      • End of Course Examination Program (EOCEP)
        Last 15 days of the semester or year, depending on the length of the class

    • Holidays –
      • General Election Day
      • Labor Day
      • Thanksgiving (3 days)
      • Christmas (10 days)
      • Martin Luther King Day
      • Spring Break (5 days)

    • Weather days - At least 3 designated (Desire to preserve staff development days)

    • By state law, students cannot start before August 20, 2018

    • Traditional preferences in Kershaw County:

      • High schools have requested two teacher days between semesters for scheduling changes and records

      • Graduations take place on a Records Day so staff members are available to supervise

      • Teacher days when students do not attend are usually scheduled for Mondays first semester and Mondays or Fridays second semester to allow parents the convenience of a long weekend

      • Allow as much instructional time before testing as possible