NEW Adopted Calendar

• August 2022: The Calendar Study Committee was formed and charged with exploring alternative calendar structures. This group includes parents, students as well as certified, classified and administrative staff members, and employee association leadership.
• Between September 2022 and February 2023:  This committee met 8 times. They pored over a variety of data concerning the calendar. (Click here to view this document in Spanish)
• October 2022: More than 9,500 community members responded to a district survey about the current calendar and possible changes. 
• November 2022: More than 100 community members shared their thoughts in more detail during in-person focus groups. The questions asked during these focus groups were based on feedback received on the October survey.
• The Calendar Study Committee used this community feedback to guide its next steps as it drafted possible calendars for consideration. 
• January 2023: The Calendar Study Committee decided to move forward with two calendar options for consideration. 
• February 2023: The district hosted info nights for students, staff and families, explaining the possible calendar options. The Five Star community was surveyed in February 2023 on the two calendar options presented.

• Aligned across levels. With rare exceptions (high school students having days off to account for state testing and graduations) students in different grades have the same days off.

The Before and After School Enrichment (BASE) program currently operates licensed school-aged care at 23 schools serving students ages 5 to 12. 

• BASE hours (opening and closing) will be the same as they are in the current 2022-2023 school year. 

• Our BASE team is currently determining BASE operations for the 2023-24 school year.  The information will be posted to the Adams 12 BASE website in the Spring 2023.

This calendar removes Early Release Days (ERD), so the school day is slightly shorter each day. This allows for earlier dismissal times, which community members expressed an interest in, particularly for middle schools students.

The new bell times will be:

• High Schools: 7:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.

• Elementary Schools: 7:50 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.

• Middle Schools: 8:40 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.

• K-8 Schools:

  • STEM Lab, STEM Launch, and Thunder Vista P-8: 8 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. 

  • Hulstrom K-8:

    • Elementary school students: 8:25 a.m. to 3:35 p.m.

    • Middle school students 8:15 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. 

• The length of the contract day for staff will stay the same.

• This calendar maintains early bus drop off for high school students.

• Slightly increases the number of paid hours in the school year.

• Slightly reduces the number of school days in the school year for middle and high school students.

• Includes new non-student contact days. On up to 5 of these days, classified staff will report to work for professional development and work time. These additional days will ensure that classified staff will not lose income.

• Early Release Days (ERD) are now eliminated. This means that students get out at the same time every day, Monday through Friday.
• Instead of professional learning every Wednesday, staff will have professional learning days spread throughout the year, mainly on Mondays and some Fridays.

• Weeklong fall break for students and staff at all levels in mid-October.
• Weeklong break for students at all levels during the week of Thanksgiving; two of these days are reserved for staff work days or potential exchange days (e.g. comp day/s.)
• Two weeks for winter break (end of December and beginning of January)
• Weeklong break for students at all levels in February; two of these days are reserved for staff work days or potential exchange days (e.g. comp day/s).
• Weeklong spring break at all levels in March or April.

• Instead of Early Release Days, staff will have professional learning days spread throughout the year. These days will have a blend of building and district professional learning as well as teacher work time.
• Students would not be in school on these days.
• On up to 5 of these new non-student contact days, classified staff will report to work for professional development and work time. These additional days will ensure that classified staff will not lose income.

• The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 14.
• The last day of school is Thursday, May 30.

This calendar complies with state regulations for days spent in school and minutes spent on instructional time. Here’s a look at the total number of days and hours:

• Includes more time in school for all students
• Elementary School: 166 days in school; 1,010 hours (an increase of 10 hours)
• K-8 Schools: 166 days in school; 1,096 hours (an increase of 8 hours)
• Middle School: 166 days in school; 1,096 hours (an increase of 6 hours)
• High School: 166 days in school, 1,093 hours (an increase of 5 hours)

In the 2023-23 school year, Colorado is implementing Universal Preschool, which means more students than ever will have access to free preschool in our district.

• This calendar creates more opportunities for scheduling busing and classes for preschool students, which in turn creates more access to preschool options for families.