Winter Break Shortened Next Year for Northfield Schools

And then there was one.

The on Monday was presented with four calendar options for the 2012-13 school year and in the end, the board approved an option that has students spending less time away from school during winter break and finishes the school year earlier, according to the Northfield News.

According to district documents, winter break officially starts on Christmas Eve, which is a Monday. Students return to school Jan. 2, 2013, a Tuesday.

The last day of school is June 4, 2013, a Tuesday.

Students will still spend 174 days in school, but school administrators statewide had to get creative because of where holidays fall next school year.

A second option considered Monday would have given students two full weeks off for winter break and move the final day of school to June 7.

Another calendar created for consideration included a start date before Labor Day, with school scheduled to start Aug. 13 and end May 15; a fourth option was for a year-round school calendar.

The latter two options are not allowed under current Minnesota law, but the Minnesota House of Representatives is working on a bill that would reverse the requirement.

“It is all about giving locally elected school boards the ability to adopt a school calendar that best meets the needs of their community. … While recognizing the need for an extended holiday at the end of the summer,” Rep. Connie Doepke (R-Orono) told the House Education Reform Committee, where HF2325 sits.

The companion bill, SF1892, sponsored by Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie), awaits action by the Senate Education Committee.

Should the Labor Day law be overturned, Northfield Superintendent Chris Richardson said the latter two options could come before the board again next year.

Be sure to follow Northfield Patch on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter, which sends you updates about stories, breaking news, announcements, events and blogs on our site.