Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1 is accepting community feedback through Feb. 21 on three proposed calendars for the 2022-2023 school year.
One option proposes returning to five-day school weeks, with 169 elementary student school days and 171 secondary student days. Two four-day calendars join the mix — one with 160 student days and another with 147.
Holidays and start and end dates vary across the calendars. The four-day calendars each feature Professional Learning Committee days, in which teachers can plan and collaborate on select Fridays, although the days and lengths vary.
The survey can be accessed at: https://bit.ly/RE-1Calendars.
After a calendar is selected, the district can plan bus routes, start and end times, salary schedules and staff calendars, said Kyle Archibeque, executive director of finance, at Tuesday’s board work session.
The four-day calendar with 147 student days aligns most closely with the calendar of nearby school districts, he said.
Teaching staff can expect an additional 30 minutes each school day with the 147-day calendar, an additional 25 minutes with the 160-day calendar and a reduction of 15 minutes per school day with the five-day calendar, Archibeque said in a districtwide email.
The survey asks whether the respondent has a child who will attend school in the district in the 2022-2023 calendar year, and to vote on one of the three calendars. A comment box also is available.
In Colorado, schools must plan for 990 student contact hours at the elementary level and 1,080 at the secondary level. Schools are required to be in session 160 days, but Montezuma-Cortez may request an exemption from the state if the 147-day calendar is chosen.
The current school year is 160 days.
The initial transition to four-day weeks received an outpouring of support from staff and families and was considered to provide relief for teachers amid a staff shortage.
A full year of four-day weeks would require additional details to be worked out, like how to schedule support staff.
The RE-1 Board of Education will meet for its monthly regular board meeting Feb. 22.
| Holiday/breaks | Five-day calendar (Option A) | Four-day calendar (Option B) | Four-day calendar (Option C) |
| Labor Day | X | X | |
| Indigenous Day | X | X | |
| MLK Day | X | ||
| Presidents Day | X | X | X |
| Memorial Day | X | ||
| Thanksgiving break | Nov. 21 - Nov. 25 | Nov. 21 - Nov. 25 | Nov. 21 - Nov. 24 |
| Winter break | Dec. 21 - Jan. 3 | Dec. 21 - Jan. 3 | Dec. 20 - Jan. 2 |
| Spring break | March 20 - March 24 | March 20 - March 24 | March 28 - April 1 |
| First day of school | Aug. 15 | Aug. 15 | Aug. 1 |
| Last day of school | May 18 | May 25 | June 12 |
| Graduation | May 18 | May 25 | June 12 |
| Total student days | 169 elementary/171 secondary | 147 | 160 |
| Total staff days | 181 | 163 | 177 |
