Development of the 2022-23 School Year Calendar

Status Updates | Timeline | Community Engagement | FAQ | Information Resources

Overview

APS is seeking community input from families, staff, and community members related to the development of the 2022-23 School Year Calendar. A survey is available from October 18-October 29, 2021. The Calendar Committee met in September to discuss first draft options and provide input. The calendar committee is composed of the following members:

Representatives from Elementary, Middle and High School Principals
Representatives from the Arlington Education Association (teachers and support staff)
Four representatives from the County Council of PTAs
Representatives from central office departments including: Transportation, Extended Day, Food Services, Teaching and Learning, Information Services, and Human Resources

Status Updates

October 18 – School Calendar Option 1 and Option 2 posted
October 18 – Survey launched

Timeline

Date	Activity
September	Calendar Committee meets to review first draft of calendar.
October 18	Human Resources presents information on the calendar development process and Calendar Option 1 and Option 2 to internal and external stakeholders
October 18-29	Calendar Survey is open
November	Calendar Committee meets to review input
November	Superintendent’s Proposed Calendar presented to the School Board for information
December	Superintendent’s Proposed Calendar tentatively scheduled for School Board action

Community Engagement

The community may provide input regarding the calendar in this survey (translation is available through the survey tool).

FAQ

Will APS recommend a pre-Labor Day start again this year?

Yes, both calendar options propose a start prior to Labor Day. APS continues to incorporate additional holidays and full days for elementary parent-teacher conferences, as in the 2021-22 school year.

Why is it important to align calendars to neighboring jurisdictions?

Fifty-two percent of APS staff live outside of Arlington. Being out of alignment with our neighbors means that staff who have school-aged children are more likely to miss work due to those schedules. Aligning our schedules reduces the need for substitute teachers and ensures our staff is able to deliver high quality instruction.

How does APS account for snow days?

The draft calendar provides for 179 student attendance days. The Code of Virginia and Virginia Department of Education require either 180 days of attendance or 990 hours of attendance. Historically, APS exceeds the required number of hours, and we use those hours in lieu of “make-up days.”

Information Resources

Stakeholder presentation (coming soon)
Development of the 2021-22 School Year Calendar