School Board Approves 2020-21 School Year Calendar with Pre-Labor Day Start

School Board Adopts Elementary Planning Moves

At the Feb. 6 meeting, the Arlington School Board approved the 2020-21 school year calendar with a pre-Labor Day start on Aug. 31, 2020.  Based on the input received, staff presented the Superintendent’s recommendation which includes a pre-Labor Day start to the school year with a 10-day winter break and June 16 and 18 as the last days of school.

The approved 2020-21 calendar includes the following dates (see full calendar on BoardDocs):

• Aug. 24-28 – Pre-Service Week for teachers and 10-month employees
• Aug. 31 – First Day of School
• Sept. 1 – First Day of School for PreK
• Sept. 4-7 – Labor Day Break (State Code requires a four-day weekend for students and staff)
• Oct. 22-23 – Fall Elementary/Middle School Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Nov. 25-27 – Thanksgiving Break
• Dec. 21-Jan. 1 – Winter Break
• Feb. 25-26 – Spring Elementary/Middle School Parent-Teacher Conferences
• March 29-April 2 – Spring Break
• June 16 – Last Day of High School
• June 18 – High School Graduation
• June 18 – Last Day of Elementary and Middle School

Staff will begin development of the 2021-22 calendar in April for approval in June 2020 to provide more notice for families. The Barcroft, H-B Woodlawn/Shriver and Summer School calendars for the 2020-21 school year are still being developed.

To see the full 2020-21 school year calendar and the presentation, visit BoardDocs.

FY 2019 Final Fiscal Closeout/Status
Report The Board approved a series of motions with regards to the FY 2019 Fiscal Closeout. To see the five motions that the Board approved, visit BoardDocs.  Elementary Planning School Moves The Board adopted the Superintendent’s recommendation to move Key to ATS; ATS to McKinley and the majority of McKinley to the new school at Reed. Learn more here.

Monitoring Item
BWP & Associates updated the Board on the search for the new Superintendent and provided a summary of survey and community engagement forum results.  The summary included division strengths and challenges, as well as the qualities and characteristics the next superintendent needs to possess and demonstrate. The report included a leadership profile and next steps in the process. The Board confirmed that the interview process will be confidential in order to attract the best candidate pool and is anticipating introducing the new superintendent in May. The full report is available online.

Information Items
The School Board received updates on the following items:

• Revisions to School Board Policy D-1.32 Financial Management-Debt Management
• Dorothy Hamm Middle School Change to Architecture and Engineering Contract
• Heights Building Change to Architecture and Engineering Contract
• Kenmore Roof Coating Restoration Project Contract Award
• Washington-Liberty Roof Coating Restoration Project Contract Award

More information on these items is available online.

Recognition
As part of our Black History Month celebration, the School Board recognized the 2020 Black Student Leader Honorees who were nominated by APS staff for their exceptional leadership qualities, their demonstration of school spirit and their contributions inside and outside of the classroom. There was also a performance of the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing, by the Jefferson Middle School Choir.

NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING: 
The School Board will hold its next Regular Meeting (2110 Washington Blvd.) on Thu, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. The agenda will be posted one week before the meeting on BoardDocs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 
Citizens who want to comment on any items discussed at the School Board meeting should email the Board at school.board@apsva.us or call 703-228-6015. Citizens may call 703-228-2400 on the Monday after the School Board meetings to listen to a meeting summary. School Board meetings are also broadcast live on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and Verizon FiOS Channel 41; live-streamed on the APS website, and re-broadcast on Fridays at 9 p.m. and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. immediately following the meeting. All materials and minutes will be posted to the website at aps2016.apsva.us/schoolboard upon School Board approval at a subsequent meeting.