On Dec. 14, Coppell ISD circulated the three different calendar options for the upcoming 2024-25 school year, designated to extract the opinions of residents and staff of Coppell through a Google form.
The various schedules were shared with district teachers, staff, students and families to make sure they have a say in the process for selecting a calendar for the next school year.
The deadline to submit the form was on Jan. 5, and the anticipated matter will be discussed at the CISD Board of Trustees on Monday. The approved 2024-2025 calendar will be duplicated for the 2025-2026 school year.
The district creates a committee and receives input from teachers, staff and a variety of people who have different roles with the school district. Their ideas are presented and shared with the staff and community, making adjustments as needed.
Calendars A, B and C detail different dates for the first and last day of school with Calendar C starting the earliest on Aug. 8 and ending on May 22. There are also minor differences in the break dates. Winter break is the shortest in Calendar B, starting on Dec. 23 and ending on Jan 6.
People have had varying responses towards the different calendar options.
“I prefer Calendar C for a few reasons,” Coppell boys soccer coach Stephen Morris said. “I like how the two semesters are only one day different in length unlike the other options. It spreads out the days more evenly and I think that will help keep students mentally in the right place.”
Many other factors go into selecting the schedule besides the interests of Coppell residents and employers.
“You have to consider the various needs of secondary and elementary campuses, federal and state holidays, balancing days of attendance from term to term and how it affects parental needs in relation to their work schedules,” Coppell High School English II Honors teacher Ericka Cansino said.
The Coppell ISD school board also has to incorporate the requirements of Texas Education Agency for instructional minutes, the influence of the changing dates on student’s education and the district operational needs such as transportation services, food services, contracts, fiscal impacts, academic, artistic and sporting event calendars for tournaments and competitions.
The preferences of students at Coppell are also considered as the CISD school board will choose a schedule that fits their desired wishes regarding education or personal plans.
“Calendar A stood out to me,” Coppell High School sophomore Aisha Qamar said. “I prefer this option because the first day of school is later than the others. This allows me to have a longer summer to spend time with family and friends before starting a new school year.”
CISD is still working on gathering preferences from staff, teachers, students and families to select the best schedule for everyone for the upcoming school year.
“I personally appreciate being able to voice my vote on the various calendar options rather than having one chosen without any input from those most affected – students, parents, faculty and so on,” Cansino said. “It makes for a more sensible process.”
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