Oxford School Committee tweaks 2012-13 calendar

By Steev Riccardo

OXFORD – Following a lengthy discussion, the Oxford School Committee voted Monday evening at their bi-monthly meeting to make August 31 and November 21 active school days and make June 10 the last day of the 2012-13 school year.

Stephanie Higgins, who is part of the school calendar subcommittee, gave the school committee a proposal that would start classes on August 27 instead of August 20, and would eliminate February vacation. The committee was in favor of the changes but felt that it would be better to make these changes for the 2013-14 calendar year in order to give families more time to plan their vacations and schedules.

The committee did, however, agree to make August 31 and November 21 school days and shorten the school year by two days, which make June 10 the last day of school instead of June 12. Oxford Superintendent Allen Himmelberger “respectfully” opposed the vote, citing a historical  decline in attendance on the day before Thanksgiving, which falls on November 21 this year.

The committee plans to revisit the proposal to start classes a week later and eliminate the February vacation. Committee member Marc Peterson would like to “keep the dialogue going and vote sooner than later” on the changes.

School Committee chairperson Brenda Ennis said, “I like the idea but we need to be fair to families and give them advance notice about the changes.”

The school committee will next meet on Monday April 23 at Oxford High School.

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