Cedar Rapids school calendar in 2024-25 will not include Friday early outs

CEDAR RAPIDS — Students in the Cedar Rapids Community School District will no longer get out of school early on Fridays next school year, according to a new school calendar approved by the Cedar Rapids school board last week.

For nearly a decade, Cedar Rapids schools have shortened the academic day for students one day a week to make time for staff professional learning, but the new school calendar for the 2024-25 school year forgoes half days.

Instead of weekly half-days, the new calendar sprinkles 15 professional learning days throughout the school year on either Mondays or Fridays, including four days before the first day of school in August and three days in January. Students will not have school on these days.

The new calendar, school leaders say, will maximize instructional time, promote the health and well-being of staff and provide staff adequate professional learning opportunities.

The first day of school for students this fall will be Aug. 23, 2024. The last day of school is scheduled for June 3, 2025. Winter break is two weeks starting on Dec. 23, 2024, and resuming Jan. 6, 2025.

Thanksgiving break is Nov. 27-29, and spring break would be March 17-21, 2025.

The school calendar can be found online at crschools.us/calendars.

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