Lisbon has started discussion on the 2024-25 school calendar.
Superintendent Autumn Pino said that the start date for the school year will be Friday, Aug. 23.
“We have had discussions on if we wait until Monday, Aug. 26 instead, and we’re choosing to come to school on Aug. 23 because of activities that are already starting their seasons and get students back and ready for the school year,” Pino said.
That day will also be a full day of school for students, which may be an adjustment for elementary students and teachers, who are used to the half day of instruction.
Elementary principal Justin Brown said the welcome back to school night will be Wednesday, Aug. 21.
“We are taking feedback we had from parents about last year’s back to school night where students were at the school that evening to find their classroom spaces and then adjusting to early bed times,” Brown said. “We don’t want students to feel that rushed.”
Teachers will be able to get their classrooms set up between Aug. 14 through Aug. 19, and then have professional development days beginning Aug. 20.
The other hiccup for the school is where holidays fall this year. With Christmas starting midweek 2024, holiday break will begin Friday, Dec. 20. That will be a full school day, as the weekends ahead of the holiday give families ample time to travel. Students will return to classes Friday, Jan. 3, while teachers will have a professional development day Thursday, Jan. 2.
The school will also have a teacher in-service day on Monday, January 20 (Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday). Pino said that is a smart move, as snow day likelihood in that timeframe is higher.
Secondary principal Jack Leighty said that in-service day used to be where the district transitioned between semesters and was on previous calendars. This year, that turned into a snow day for Lisbon while other schools in the area already had the day off for professional development.
Spring break for the district will be aligned with Kirkwood Community College’s spring break, which is March 17 through March 21.
The last day of the school year will be May 23, with teachers coming back for a professional development day May 27. Additional snow make up days are included in the calendar, and those would happen April 18, May 27, May 28, May 29 and May 30, if needed.
The board will have an official hearing on the calendar at the next school board meeting, and then move for final approval at April’s meeting.