The calendar includes more staff development days spread throughout the year, allowing for several four-day school weeks and extended weekends for students, LHISD Chief of Schools Travis Motal said.
Zooming in
The 2024-25 academic calendar includes the following dates:
- First day of school, Wednesday, Aug. 14
- Student and staff holiday Oct. 11 and 14, followed by a staff development day Oct. 15
- Thanksgiving break, Nov. 25-29
- Early release Dec. 19 for winter break, Dec. 20-Jan. 6
- Staff development day Feb. 14, followed by student and staff holiday Feb. 17
- Spring break, March 17-21, aligning with Austin Community College and The University of Texas
- Staff and student holiday April 18, followed by staff development day April 21
- Early release for last day of school, May 22
- Graduation, May 23
The backstory
The student and staff holidays as well as staff development days come in response to community feedback, Motal said. Parents requested time for their students to decompress throughout the year, go on vacation and attend doctors appointments while staff requested more professional development time to adapt to the new curriculum, he said.
“This version, I would say, is a very good blend of remaining student centered ... but also keeping in mind the recruitment and retention of our staff,” said Kristin Coulter, LHISD chief of strategic planning and partnerships.
Quote of note
“This is a job well done,” board president Megan Parsons said. “That is an incredible calendar. I’ve seen a lot of calendars, and this one is impressive. It really seems to really meet all the needs.”
