Winn Parish students will begin school on Wednesday, August 7, for the 2024-25 school year, with a calendar very similar to the current school year schedule. The Board approved that proposal at its February meeting held Monday.

The three full weeks of August will be five-day classroom weeks as they were this year, then the pattern of four-day weeks with Mondays-off will resume after Labor Day, September 2.

Traditional holidays will include the full week of Thanksgiving, November 25-29 (returning to class December 3); the full weeks of Christmas and New Years, December 23-January 3 (returning to class January 7); and the full week prior to Easter, April 14-18 (returning to class April 22). Schools get one additional holiday thanks to the Presidential Election on November 5 when school closure is mandated.

The school year ends for Seniors on May 7 while May 22 will mark the final day for the remainder of the student body.

Progress Report periods will be September 11-13, November 13-15, February 5-7 and April 9-11. End of the first 9-Weeks will be October 11. End of the second 9-Weeks will be December 20. End of the third 9-Weeks will be March 7.

As to Professional Development days for teachers when students do not attend, educators’ school year will start Monday and Tuesday, August 5-6. Other Professional Development days will be Monday, October 21 (also Parent Conference); Monday, January 6 after Christmas break; Monday, March 17 (also Parent Conference); and Friday, May 23 at the close of the school year when report cards will be mailed out.

Supt. Alfred Simmons explained that the schedule provides 152 school days, made up of 63,720 “instructional minutes” that don’t include time to move between classes, lunch and recess. Teacher Days total 158. He also noted that based on input since the committee session a week earlier, the Easter/ Spring break was switched from the week after Easter to the week prior. “Some thought it was too long from Christmas break to this. The switch makes sense.”