The staff and students of the Poplar Bluff R-I school district will have extra days off around Easter for the 2021-22 school year.
The school board approved a calendar during Thursday night’s meeting that was reviewed by the staff and recommended by Dr. Scott Dill, superintendent.
Dill said the staff received six calendar options to vote on and he recommended the one that got the most votes.
The school year will start on Aug. 23, with teachers returning the week prior.
The first quarter lasts 38 days of instruction time.
Students will be off Oct. 28 and 29, with the first serving as a teacher collaboration day.
Thanksgiving break will be from Nov. 22 to Nov. 26.
The second quarter will last 38 days and end Dec. 17.
Students will have two weeks off for the winter holidays, returning to class Jan. 3, 2022.
Like they had this year, the students will be off Jan. 17 for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and the two days after.
Staff will use those two days as collaboration days.
The third quarter will end March 11, 2022 after lasting 45 days.
It will be followed by spring break, on March 14-18.
The main difference in the calendar compared to this year’s is two additional days off around Easter.
The students will be off April 18 and 19, with the latter serving as a collaboration day for teachers.
Dill said the additional time for families to travel for the holiday was a request he heard.
The fourth quarter will end May 26, 2022, the Thursday before Memorial Day.
The calendar has 165 days, which Dill said is one day less than the 2020-21 school year.
It is subject to change based on incremental weather, school activities or any emergency that may occur.