(DARLINGTON) – The Darlington County Board of Education approved the 2012-13 school district calendar at their November board meeting. The calendar was developed by a committee of parents, students, community members, teachers, administrators, and district staff, who sifted through the numerous requirements and requests to shape and refine the final calendar.

As required by law, students cannot begin school before the third Monday in August. Darlington County students will meet this requirement by starting on August 20, 2012. Teachers will start earlier, on August 14. The law also requires that students attend class for 180 days and teachers have 10 days of professional development.

In addition to the legal requirements, the committee took into consideration a wish list from teachers, administrators, students, parents and community members:

• Schools requested four days at the beginning of the school year to prepare for the start of classes. 

• The calendar committee was able to continue the tradition of scheduling Parent-Teacher conference days in the evening of one day and the morning of the next. This schedule provides greater flexibility for our working parents and has been a popular part of our calendar. 

• For the past several years, Darlington County School District has had three days off for Thanksgiving. This is greatly appreciated by both parents and employees.  

• Students and teachers have a week off for Spring Break (year-round employees get three days off). It’s usually anchored by Easter so employees can spend the holiday with their families. The calendar committee moved Spring Break to the week after Easter so as not to conflict with the PASS make-up days. 

The inclement weather make-up days for 2012-13 are January 18, February 15, and March 8. Easter Vacation/Spring Break will be used for make-up days if the other designated days are already used or have passed.

To create this calendar, there was a great deal of discussion and compromise within the calendar committee and among the school district employees. The district greatly appreciates all the time and energy the teachers, students, parents, community members, and administrators gave to develop this 2012-13 calendar draft.  

Darlington County School District 2010-11 Calendar

JULY 2012
4.....No school: Independence Day

AUGUST 2012
14-17.....No school: Professional development
20.....First day of school for students

SEPTEMBER 2012
3.....No school: Labor Day
20.....Full day of school; Parent conferences 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Interim report (23rd day of the quarter)
21.....No school: Parent conferences (8:00 AM - 12:00 PM) and professional development (half day for teachers)

OCTOBER 2012
23-25.....Fall HSAP (HSAP make-up: Oct. 26-Nov.2)
23.....End of 1st quarter
26 .....Early dismissal; Report card preparation

NOVEMBER 2012
1.....Report Cards issued
5.....No school: Professional Development
6.....No school: Election Day
21-23.....No school: Thanksgiving

DECEMBER 2012
24-Jan. 4..... No school: Christmas Break

JANUARY 2013
7.....All return from Christmas Break
15.....End of second quarter/End of first semester
18.....No school: Professional development
21.....No school: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
24.....Report cards issued

FEBRUARY 2013
14.....Full day of school; Parent conferences 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM; Interim report (20th day of quarter)
15.....No school: Parent conferences (8:00 AM - 12:00 PM) and professional development (half day for teachers)

MARCH 2013
8.....No school: Professional Development
19-20.....PASS testing (PASS Make-Up: March 21-26)
25.....End of 3rd quarter
29.....Early dismissal; Report card preparation
31.....Easter

APRIL 2013
1-5.....Spring Break - students & 190-day employees
1-3.....Spring Break -12-month employees
9.....Report cards issued
16-18.....Spring HSAP (HSAP make-up: Apr. 19-26)

MAY 2013
7-10.....PASS testing (PASS testing make-up: May 13-17)
27.....No school: Memorial Day
31.....Short day, no lunch served

JUNE 2013
3-4.....Short day, no lunch served
4.....End of 4th quarter, last day of school
5..... No school: Professional development

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