MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A meeting this week between Superintendent Mark Porter and United Teachers Monroe Representative Holly Hummell-Gorman resulted in some final adjustments to the 2017-2018 instructional calendar.  These adjustments are in accordance with the previously stated School Board priorities.  Specifically, the agreed upon modifications will not impact Fall, Winter or Spring Breaks and will not change the end of the school year or any graduation dates.

The modifications to the calendar accounts for 7.5 makeup days for students. Early release days for professional development would extend to full instructional days for primary and secondary school students. These dates vary by region. In addition, the observance of Veterans’ Day (November 10th) and President’s Day (February 19th) will become full student instructional days, as well as. The teacher planning day scheduled for January 8th would become a full student day.

Superintendent Mark Porter said he gives credit to the teachers for giving up several professional days in exchange for additional student instructional days. “I am extremely pleased with the outcome of this new calendar proposal. It speaks to the effort and dedication of our teachers to our students. We were able to recover a significant amount of instructional time while allowing us to maintain the overall parameters of the school year.”

The modified calendar also takes adjustments to the grading quarters and semesters.

The following altered dates are listed below:

All Early Release Dates for Professional Development (dates vary by region) become Full Student Days

October 16 | Teacher Planning Day becomes Full Student Day

October 27 | End of the 1st Quarter

November 10 | Veterans Day (observed) becomes Full Student Day

January 8 | Teacher Planning Day becomes Full Student Day

January 12 | End of second quarter/Semester 1

February 19 | Presidents Day becomes a Full Student Day

March 9 | End of third quarter Teacher Planning Day becomes half-day for students

March 30 | DISTRICT-WIDE Early Release Day becomes Full Student Day

Superintendent Porter will bring the modified calendar to the School Board for approval on Tuesday, October 24, in Key West at the A.J. Henriquez Administration Building. The Monroe County School District serves approximately 8,800 students throughout the upper, middle, lower keys, and Key West. The accredited school district consists of 10 public schools, six charter schools, as well as alternative and virtual programs. For more information about the district’s vision and mission, visit www.keysschools.com.  Follow us on Facebook @MYMCSD, on Twitter @keysschools, and on Instagram @MYMCSD.  Follow the Superintendent on Twitter @supt_porter.