The 2011-12 school year has just been over for a month, but the calendar setting the stage for classes for the next school term has already been set as the school calendar for 2012-13, which will begin in less than two months, was adopted earlier in the spring by the Clinton County Board of Education.

Looking at the calendar for the upcoming year is similar to looking into a mirror, as little changes, other than actual dates in the months, are different from last year.

The calendar for the 2012-13 school year again shows a one-week break in the fall that takes in the weekend of the annual Foothills Festival and a one-week spring break in early April, barring any or all of those days having to be used as make-up days.

The 2011-12 school year just completed was somewhat fortunate for Clinton County and most districts across the state as a milder than usual winter caused only a handful of class days missed and an earlier graduation and end of school year for most students, meaning a slightly longer summer vacation.

The upcoming 2012-13 school calendar, which is always tentative due to possible inclement weather, illness outbreaks and other unforeseeable events, will see the first day for students to attend classes–an all day session, will be Monday, August 6.

The opening day and week of school will fortunately not coincide with the U.S. 127 Yard Sale, which occurred a few years ago and caused havoc with traffic congestion in many areas with buses and travelers on the road.

The first day off for students, as usual, will be on Labor Day, Monday, September 3.

The fall break will be the week of October 15 through 19, which also takes in the October Foothills Festival weekend that will run from around October 18 through 20.

Students will also have one day off a couple of weeks after the fall break, that being election day on Tuesday, November 6.

One change the board approved in this year’s calendar, which always causes a difference of opinions, is to go back to dismissing classes for a full three days for the Thanksgiving holiday. Classes will be dismissed Wednesday through Friday, November 21-23 for Thanksgiving. In past years, students attended classes the Wednesday before the holiday, but some parents and staff prefer to take the extra day before Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

The Christmas holiday break will be a ten-day total vacation for students, plus two weekends, beginning Thursday, December 20 and running through New Year’s, plus one work day for staff only scheduled on January 2. Students will return to class after the holidays on Thursday, January 3, 2013.

Classes will be dismissed for one other day in January, that being on Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, January 21.

During the months of February and March, students will be primarily in the classroom most of the time, with only one day scheduled as an off-day for students, that being on Monday, February 18 for a work day.

Unless any spring break days are needed to be used as make-up days, students will have an extended break in early April. Spring break is scheduled for the week of Monday through Friday, April 1-5, with the following Monday, April 8 being a work day for staff only, meaning a total six-day school break for students.

If the calendar were to be followed without any missed days, which is rare, the closing day for students would be Friday, May 10, 2013. However, a total of 16 make-up days are included in the calendar for next year, with as many of those days as needed to make up the 170 total student instructional days. Monday, May 13 through Tuesday, June 4 (with Memorial Day on May 27, 2013 not counted) is set aside in next year’s calendar for make-up dates.

A total of four professional days and six work days for staff only are also included in the calender, with seven of those days from July 26 through August 3 and three other days added into the calendar periodically during the school year.

Another look at actual dates, from start of school to finish, that students will not be attending classes will be published just prior to the opening of the 2012-13 school year.