After receiving pushback from school board members and parents, administrators at Oak Park and River Forest High School have decided not to make any significant changes in the school calendar next year, but they are leaving open the possibility of changing the calendar in the future to equalize the length of the semesters.
Under the current calendar, the second semester is longer than the first semester.
In December, administrators, acting on the recommendation of the school’s calendar committee, proposed starting the next school year later in August and having first semester final exams after the winter break. But many did not like the idea of having final exams after winter break, saying that would spoil, or at least add stress to, the break for students.
Parents, staff and others were informed of the decision in an email sent out by OPRF Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations Karin Sullivan Jan. 23. At the Jan. 25 meeting, Supt. Greg Johnson read from the letter and expanded on it a bit.
“As discussions about the calendar have unfolded though it became evident that we need and want more time to gather feedback and explore new options,” Johnson said. “As a result, it has simply become too late in the process to change next year’s calendar.”
For the 2024-25 school year, OPRF will make internal adjustments, such as moving some events that are typically held in the first semester, such as the Tradition of Excellence Assembly, to the second semester to free up more instructional time.
The first day of school for freshmen next year will be Wednesday Aug.14. The first day of school for sophomores, juniors and seniors will be Thursday Aug. 15. Teachers will report to work for the new year on Monday Aug. 12 for an Institute Day. First semester final exams next year will take place between Dec. 18 and Dec. 20.
Although the schedule remains unchanged, next year, administrators will continue to study the issue and gather information about how other school’s handle their school calendars. Johnson made it clear that the idea of having the first semester end after Winter Break is not dead.
“We are not backing away from the challenges that caused us to bring this proposal to the board to begin with and it is still a very real possibility that we will bring a proposal forward for the 25-26 and the 26-27 calendars that will in fact recommend that we shift the end of the semester to January as we proposed” Johnson said. “But we have some work to do.”
