DES MOINES, Iowa —
After getting more than 6,000 survey responses about a proposed calendar change for the 2022-23 academic calendar, Des Moines Public Schools released their new proposal Friday.
The adjustments would keep the more inclusive holidays, such as Yom Kippur and Lunar New Year, added in the first calendar but take away a week-long break in May. The calendar would set the last day of school as June 6, 2023 at the earliest and June 9 at the latest, depending on how many snow days need to be made up.
That would be a few days later than the last day of school for the 2021-22 school year (June 1) but earlier than the June 14 end date initially proposed.
The district had said the goal in setting a later end date was to reduce "summer brain drain" so students are more prepared for the upcoming school year.
The new proposal also resumes set times for parent-teacher conferences, DMPS said.
Major changes from the 2021-22 calendar:
- Adding more days off, like Election Day, and observing more inclusive holidays like Yom Kippur, the Lunar New Year, and Ramadan
- Extending winter break to a full two weeks
- A later end date with two potential make-up snow days built in
School would still start the second-to-last week of August, and graduations would be moved from Memorial Day weekend to the first weekend of June.
The new calendar will be presented to the School Board on Nov. 16 and voted on Dec. 7.
Proposed 2022-23 calendar
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