2013-14 and 2014-15 Calendar Finalized by BOE

The Livingston Public School calendar will undergo a number of changes during the next two academic years, including shortening the February break and ending the school year earlier in June.

The new calendars, approved unanimously by the Board of Education on November 12, also schedule high school graduation on a Friday for the first time.

The new calendars are now posted on the District’s Web site.

What are the changes?

• Last Day of School and Graduation, Friday June 20, 2014; and Friday, June 19, 2015.
• 4-Day President’s Day Weekend.
• Schools closed for students on Columbus Day instead of Election Day. 
• Staff Professional Development Day shifted to Columbus Day from Election Day.
• Two half days at the end of the year instead of three.

The changes were made after lengthy discussions between the school board, administration, teachers, staff and parents.

“The Board recognizes that there is no perfect calendar, but we believe that this calendar meets the educational needs and priorities of Livingston students,” said Leslie Winograd, President of the Livingston Board of Education.

The board shifted through differing requests by parents and teachers. The Livingston Education Association (LEA), the teachers’ union, offered to begin the school year with professional development days for teachers in August to maintain a full February break.

Parents, by a 2-to-1 margin, said they favored shortening the February recess in order to move up the last day of school, according to results of a District survey.

School board members said they were concerned with maximizing class instructional time in shortening February break to a four-day weekend and shifting the school closing for students and professional development day from Election Day to Columbus Day (the NJEA’s convention falls the same week as Election Day).

The calendars provide for three snow days.

Dates to Know 2013-2014

• First Day of School, Monday, September 9.
• Columbus Day, Monday, October 14 (schools closed for students).
• NJEA Convention, Thursday/Friday, November 7-November 8.
• Winter Recess, Monday, December 23-Tuesday, January 1.
• President’s Day Weekend, schools closed Friday, February 14 and Monday, February 17.
• Spring Recess, Monday-Friday, April 14-April 17.
• Last Day of School and Graduation, Friday, June 20.

Dates to Know 2014-2015

• First Day of School, Thursday, September 4.
• Columbus Day, Monday, October 13 (schools closed for students).
• NJEA Convention, Thursday/Friday, November 6 and November 7.
• Winter Recess, Wednesday, December 24-Friday, January 2.
• President’s Day Weekend, Friday, February 13 and Monday, February 16.
• Spring Recess, Monday-Friday, March 30-April 3.
• Last Day of School and Graduation, Friday, June 19.

The School Calendar for the current academic year will be adjusted shortly to reflect the week-long closing due to Hurricane Sandy.