Portsmouth Public Schools seeking community’s thoughts on starting school year before Labor Day

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Portsmouth Public Schools administrators are seeking the community’s thoughts on starting the school year before Labor Day.

School officials have set up a three-question survey for parents and families as they evaluate a change to future school calendars.

“This change, if implemented, would help provide students more instructional time ahead of end-of-year testing, including state SOLs, AP exams, ACTs and SATs,” officials said. “Starting school before Labor Day could also provide more flexibility for makeup days involving inclement weather.”

Regarding a change, the division is considering two scenarios: Starting school one week before Labor Day and starting school two weeks before Labor Day.

For next school year (2023-24), this would mean the following:

Starting One Week Before Labor Day
Teachers Return: Friday, Aug. 18, 2023
First Day of School: Monday, Aug. 28, 2023
Last Day of School: Friday, June 7, 2024

Starting Two Weeks Before Labor Day
Teachers Return: Friday, Aug. 11, 2023
First Day of School: Monday, Aug. 21, 2023
Last Day of School: Friday, May 31, 2023

The survey is due Friday, Sept. 30. You can take the survey HERE.

Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) have already implemented this schedule for the school year.

VBCPS has already posted its calendar for the 2023-2024 school year, which shows the first day of school as Monday, August 28, 2023 — one week before the Labor Day holiday.

The Virginia Beach School Board made this decision in March.