By Holly Fesperman Lee

Salisbury Post

Parents can now make plans for the next school year.

The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education approved the 2007-2008 school calendar at Monday’s meeting.

Next year, students will head back to school on Aug. 27 and get their first break on Sept. 3, the Labor Day holiday.

Under state law, schools can’t start before Aug 25 and must close the school year on or before June 10, according to Colby Cochran, director of assessment/accountability services.

Oct. 3 is the first teacher workday, also designated as a make-up day for inclement weather.

Cochran, said many people wonder why the system schedules a make-up day so early in the year with such a limited number of days that can be used for this purpose. Many forget that snow is not the only form of inclement weather this area can experience; we’re also subject to hurricanes, Cochran said.

Mid-quarter reports are scheduled to go out on Sept. 25, and the first grading period will end on Oct. 26.

There will be a teacher workday on Oct. 29.

Students will get their first report card on Nov. 7, Veteran’s Day holiday will be Nov. 12 and winter break will be Dec. 21 through Jan. 1.

The first day of break is also scheduled as a make-up day.

Winter break includes three days for Christmas, one day for New Year’s and four days of annual leave.

Students will return to school on Jan. 2, and high school exams will be administered Jan. 15-18.

Students will be off Jan. 21 for Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, followed by a teacher workday on Jan. 22.

The second report card will go out on Jan. 31.

Feb. 18, a teacher workday, is the next scheduled make-up day for inclement weather.

Students will begin spring break with Good Friday on March 21 and return to school on March 30.

Spring break days, March 24-28, are also designated as make-up days.

Students will get a break April 4 for a teacher workday, and report cards will be issued on April 15.

In May, students will be off the 6, a teacher workday, and the 26, Memorial Day holiday.

May 6 is a make-up day.

High school exams for spring will be June 5, 6, 9 and 10.

The last day for students will also be June 10.

Cochran told board members that the calendar committee looked at various dates extensively, and there wasn’t much room for change because of several teacher workdays that are required by the state.

Board members unanimously approved the calendar proposal.

Contact Holly Lee at 704-797-7683 or hlee@salisburypost.com