New CPS Calendar Adds 10 School Days, Cuts Columbus, Pulaski Days
By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 17, 2012 6:00PM
Chicago Public Schools released its 2012-13 calendar yesterday that school brass says will be beneficial for students but has teachers complaining of the possibility for burnout.
The new calendar adds 10 days to next year's schedule and increases the number of five-day school weeks to 29. Columbus Day and Pulaski Day will be eliminated in order to achieve that. Two report card pickup days have also been converted into attendance days for students.
Students will be dismissed from school three hours early on those report card pickup days, which means parents will have a shorter window of opportunity to pick up their children's report cards and talk with teachers.
Julie Woestehoff of Parents United for Responsible Education said the new changes result in parents picking up report cards as a "drive by experience."
“It’s ridiculous to think that parents are going to be able to get time off in the middle of the afternoon. It’s thoughtless and it shows a complete lack of concern for what parent life is like.’’
Chicago Teachers Union vice president Jesse Sharkey called the new schedule "relentless" and predicted the increased number of five-day school weeks—including nine straight weeks to start the year—could lead to "student and teacher burnout."
CPS spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler said students were the primary reason the new calendar is being implemented and believes "schools can be flexible if there’s a need by parents who have different schedules’."