School Committee approves school calendar for next year, sets start dates for future

  Students and teachers in Revere will be going back to school a little later than they have for the past several years for the 2022-23 school year, but still before Labor Day. Last Wednesday afternoon, the School Committee rescinded an earlier vote it took in April approving an Aug. 24 start date for teachers with students heading to class the following day. Now, the first day of school for teachers will be Monday, August 29, with students heading to class on Tuesday, August 30.

  In addition, the School Committee voted 4-2 to set the first day of school for teachers as the Monday before Labor Day, with students starting on Tuesday moving forward.

  The committee also voted to have students go to class on Tuesday, Sept. 6, the day after Labor Day. Under the original calendar, there was no school scheduled for that day because of the state primary election. For about a decade, schools have been closed on election days because of safety concerns.

  “I think the Election Day this year is a little different because there are no challengers in the primaries on Sept. 6 [for the state representative races],” said Tye.

  By holding school on Sept. 6, the district will be able to pick up a day in the schedule and plan on June 16 as the last day of school.

  School Committee Member Susan Gravellese said she was hesitant about changing the schedule on Election Day. “I think it is good to be consistent with having election days with no school,” she said, adding that students and parents she’s spoken to like the consistency of the schedule with no school on the election days.

  Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dianne Kelly has stated that she is not in favor of the later start date for the school calendar.

  After voting on the school calendar for the 2022-23 school year, the committee then approved a motion by Member Stacey Bronsdon-Rizzo and then amended by Member John Kingston setting the Monday before Labor Day as the first day of school for teachers and the Tuesday before as the first day for students moving forward. Gravellese and Tye voted against the motion.

  “I’m not prepared to do that tonight,” said Tye. “I think that we should take a look at the calendar and spend the time on it.”

  Bronsdon-Rizzo said that by setting firm dates for the start of school it would set some consistency for students and staff.

  School Committee Member Aisha Milbury-Ellis also said she would like to see the district do away with snow days and have remote learning on those days. However, Bronsdon-Rizzo said the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has yet to allow for remote learning on snow days.