by Reade Fenner ‘22

In early autumn, the MCPS Board of Education was determining the calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. A major issue being discussed was whether the first day of school would be held before or after Labor Day. On December 3, MCPS finalized the calendar and made a decision. 

The 2020-2021 school year will begin before Labor Day on Monday, August 31, 2020. This means the last day of school is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16, 2021. The calendar includes a 10-day spring break and a professional day at the end of each quarter. Two additional professional days will take place second semester, one in February and one in May. Thanksgiving break will still be four and a half days, but winter break will be slightly shorter at 11 days. In total, there are 182 instructional days included in the calendar. 

Starting the school year before Labor Day has become common throughout Maryland public school systems. This is because Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive order requiring that schools begin before Labor Day has been overridden by a new state law. The state senate enacted the law earlier this year to give local counties more control over their calendars. Other counties in Maryland, such as Frederick County, are planning to take advantage of this by beginning their school calendar in late August.