PORT ANGELES — North Olympic Peninsula school districts have released calendars for the 2012-2013 school year that include staggered starts, varied winter breaks and — for many — more built-in snow days than in the past.
Most districts scheduled the first day of school the day after Labor Day.
Crescent will be the first district to begin classes Sept. 1 and Quillayute Valley the last Sept. 6.
Quillayute Valley and Brinnon school districts will be the first to let classes out for the summer in 2013 on June 13, and Sequim will be the latest to end school June 19.
Because Christmas and New Year’s fall on Mondays, districts arranged winter break schedules differently.
Some districts scheduled the usual last two weeks of December, plus Jan. 1, while others will take the final week of December and the first week of January.
More snow days
More snow days were built into some district schedules because school boards are mindful of the unusual snow events experienced in the past two years.
In 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, snowstorms shut down schools for as long as a week, resulting in several snow makeup days at the beginning of summer.
Port Angeles and Quillayute Valley school districts in particular had to extend school into the summer, with students being excused this week.
Next school year, if there have been no snow days, there is no class on snow makeup days.
If snow days occur before the makeup days, class will be held on those days.
End-of-year makeups
If there are not enough makeup days on the calendar, students will make up snow days at the end of the year, as determined by each district.
All districts scheduled their Thanksgiving break from Nov. 22-23 and spring break from April 1-5.
Here are Peninsula public school district calendars for 2012-2013:
■ Port Angeles School District — First day Sept. 4; winter break Dec. 24-Jan. 4; graduation June 14; last day June 14; potential snow makeup days June 17-18.
■ Sequim School District — First day Sept. 5; winter break Dec. 24-Jan. 4; graduation June 14; last day June 19; potential snow makeup days March 15, March 29 and April 19.
■ Port Townsend School District — First day Sept. 4; winter break Dec. 21-Jan. 4; graduation June 7; last day June 14; potential snow make-up days, June 17-19.
■ Quillayute Valley School District — First day Sept. 6; winter break Dec. 19-Jan. 2; graduation June 8; last day June 13; potential snow makeup days May 24 and June 14-17.
■ Cape Flattery School District — First day Sept. 6; winter break Dec. 24-Jan. 4; graduation not listed; last day June 18; potential snow makeup days Feb. 28 and March 1.
■ Crescent School District — First day Sept. 1; winter break Dec. 19-Jan. 2; last day June 14; graduation June 16; potential snow makeup days March 9.
■ Chimacum School District — First day Sept. 4; winter break, Dec. 24-Jan. 4; graduation June 8; last day June 14; potential snow makeup days Nov. 30, Feb. 15, March 15 and June 17-19.
■ Quilcene School District — First day Sept. 4; winter break Dec. 24-Jan. 4; last day June 13; graduation June 15; potential snow makeup days May 24 and June 14-17.
■ Brinnon School District — First day Sept. 4; winter break Dec. 24-Jan. 4; last day June 13; potential snow makeup days Jan. 28, May 24 and June 14-17.
________
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
