MCS School Board Approves 2021-2022 School Calendar: Anticipates Approving Next 2 Years Calendars in May
The Mason City Schools Board of Education approved the 2021-2022 school calendar during its April 26 meeting meeting.
This year's calendar includes a new Family Orientation Day on August 11, 2021, and replicates a staggered start schedule that was used during the 2020-2021 school year. The staggered start means that students with last names A-L will report on Thursday, August 12, 2021 and students with last names M-Z will report on Friday, August 13, 2021. Then all students will come together on Monday, August 16, 2021.
"One of the lessons from the pandemic was just how valuable it was to give students, staff and families more time at the beginning of the year to build relationships. We heard from staff and families that the orientation day and the staggered start were nice tools to help with our goal of making big schools feel small," said Jonathan Cooper, Superintendent.
Mason teachers and administrators are working together to finalize plans for the Family Orientation Day, and hope to have recommended 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 calendars for the School Board to approve later in May.
"Typically, we like to approve three years worth of calendars because we know how important that is for families' planning. The pandemic slowed our process this year, but we are committed to getting back to a regular schedule of calendar approvals," said Cooper.