 |
|
|
|
|
City Beat
SJ Unified schools are in session until Dec. 22
Officials say the late break won't affect attendance
By Kate Carter
Students, teachers and their families are bracing for a long stretch to winter break this year.
Negotiations between San Jose Unified School District and the San Jose Teacher's Association determined over a year ago that the last school day before winter break would be Dec. 22.
That leaves only three days of vacation before the season's biggest holiday, Christmas.
The district usually takes its holiday after the last Friday before Christmas, said district spokesman Bill Erlendson.
"It's always been that way," he said. "There's some logic to not breaking up the week."
But this year, Christmas is on a Monday. Taking off after the first Friday before Christmas means that, technically, the first day off is Christmas Day.
"It's very difficult when you base the break around Christmas," Willow Glen High School Principal Pat Day said.
However, the good news for district students and staff is that they won't have to show up in class until Jan. 8 next year.
Day said students who take days off school around the holiday will just take them before the break, rather than after New Year's Day.
"I don't think it's going to have any more impact than normal," he said. "Whatever you do, it's going to affect somebody."
San Jose Unified is not alone in choosing such a late holiday break. Eastside Union High, Berryessa and Alum Rock School districts are among 10 county school districts in session through Dec. 22. Three of those are year-round school districts that will return to session on Jan. 2. The rest will have until Jan. 8 to rest and prepare for the next two-thirds of the school year.
But the majority of the local school districts are taking off a whole week before Christmas.
Santa Clara Unified, Campbell Union and Campbell Union High School districts will close after Dec. 15 and return Jan. 2.
Last year, San Jose Unified was in session through Dec. 17 and opened again on Jan. 3, district employee services manager John Shannon said. Next year the district will close after Dec. 21 and reopen Jan. 7, he said.
The district worked last year with the teachers' union to establish the holiday schedules for the next three years, Shannon said, so staff has had plenty of time to prepare for only a few days off to take care of last-minute holiday preparations.
"Christmas just came at a funny time," he said. "But what a wonderful vacation after New Year's."
|
|
|
|
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
