Though the start of the 2018-19 school year is still ten months away, the Kingsport Board of Education has already approved the calendar for next year.  This is done as early as possible so parents and students have as much time as possible to plan accordingly.  This week, the Saturday Six takes a look at the major components of the 2018-19 KCS Calendar.  It’s never too soon to start getting prepared for next year!

1. The first day for students will be Monday, August 6, 2017.  This will kick off an instructional year that includes 178 student days, with 89 days each in the fall and spring semesters.  The first student day of the Spring Semester will be Tuesday, January 8, 2019, following a teacher in-service day on January 7, 2019.
2. There are four major breaks during the course of the school year… Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, and Spring Break.  The dates for these in 2018-19 are:
   • Fall Break:  October 15-19, 2018
   • Thanksgiving Break:  November 21-23, 2018
   • Winter Break:  December 24, 2018 – January 4, 2019
   • Spring Break:  March 25-29, 2019
3. In addition to the formal breaks, there are several long/holiday weekends throughout the school year.  Students and staff will not attend school on Monday, September 3, 2018, Monday, January 21, 2019, or Friday, April 19, 2019.
4. Once again, KCS will offer two opportunities for Parent-Teacher Conferences during the school year.  Friday, September 14, 2018 and Friday, February 8, 2019 are set aside for these important meetings.
5. Professional learning for teachers and staff is a vital component to making sure students have the best opportunity to learn.  Several in-service days are set aside for this important work, including two days in the middle of each semester.  Teachers will have these in-service days on Friday, October 5, 2018 and Friday March 15, 2019.
6. The last student day of school will be an abbreviated day on Thursday, May 23, 2019.  However, the unofficial end to the year will take place with Dobyns-Bennett graduation on the morning of Saturday, May 25, 2019.  This annual event is scheduled to take place at 9 a.m. in J. Fred Johnson Stadium and is the ultimate celebration of the students and educators of D-B and KCS.  We hope you will consider joining us for this capstone event!

Click here to view the approved 2018-19 KCS School Calendar!

Next Week in the Saturday Six:  October is National Principals Month, and KCS is blessed to have a world-class group of principals leading our schools.  We’ll shine the spotlight on these women and men that play such a vital role in the Kingsport educational community.