Oregon Administrative Rule 581-022-1620 provides direction to school boards related to instructional time for students. In our district, school board policy IC/ICA directs the superintendent to establish a calendar giving due consideration to input from staff, parents, and the community.
When developing the calendar, district staff keep the following items in mind. We strive to create a calendar that:
- Supports and enhances quality education and high expectations for all students to make academic progress.
- Exceeds required instructional hours as required by the Oregon Department of Education.
- Complies with contractual requirements.
- Supports parent/teacher conferences, professional preparation, collaboration and planning, and in-service meetings.
- Provides for overall coordination of elementary, middle, and high school calendars to assist in scheduling for families with students across multiple grade levels.
- Provides for an approximately equal number of instructional days each semester and when possible, a five day school week.
School Calendar Questions and Answers
How are calendars developed?
Parents and Staff are surveyed regarding their preferred calendars. A calendar committee develops multiple calendar options and this information is presented to the school board for final approval.
How are weather make up days built into the calendar?
The school board places a high value on keeping the number of days in each semester as equal as possible for equity in semester-long courses.
In an effort to balance student school days and to provide our students with the learning time they deserve, make up days are planned in advance and are utilized if needed. Families are encouraged to refer to the potential make up days when making plans for the year.
School is delayed or cancelled in the event of safety concerns due to weather or an emergency. In the event of inclement weather, the superintendent is responsible for the decision to delay or cancel school after careful consideration and in consultation with the district’s bus service provider.
How does the Corvallis School District instructional time and school year calendar compare with other school districts in the area?
The Corvallis School Board has prioritized that students receive the maximum instructional hours possible within our district’s annual operating budget.
Most area school districts start school within a few days of one another; however, some districts start school before Labor Day. Recognizing the impact of Oregon State University in our community, our district endeavors to align with OSU holiday breaks when feasible.
Why do elementary and middle schools have early release every Friday? Why Fridays?
Collaboration occurs when teachers meet regularly, share expertise, and work together to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. Early release days are built into the calendar to provide time for teachers to meet in teams to analyze student data, solve student learning challenges, and improve classroom instruction.
Fridays were identified as the most feasible day for early afternoon programs at partner organization locations.
Why do students have to be out of school during early release?
All instructional staff members participate in collaboration and supervision is not available at school.
What are the benefits to students?
Students benefit when teachers are highly skilled and utilize the best instructional and assessment practices. Providing teachers with time collaborate with peers on each student’s progress increases their effectiveness. The opportunity for teachers to calibrate scoring of student work and collaborate with peers provides students with better feedback and greater instructional consistency from classroom to classroom and across grade levels.