Start School on September 10th or August 31st Next Year?

Superintendent of Schools, Kim Mercer is thinking beyond all of the 2015 snowfall and wondering about the start of school next year. With Labor Day coming late next September, East Providence schools wouldn't return to class until September 10th. Mercer is concerned with that late starting date after the number of cancelled school days this year due to inclement weather.

"In our recent on line survey to the community, we asked everyone to vote on next year's school calendar," said Mercer last night. "We developed four different calendars. We did a combination of eliminating February vacation or keeping it, adding time to Christmas break and other considerations. Any change in the school calendar has to be voted on by teachers as it is a change in working conditions per contract," said Mercer.

The school committee is only considering one school calendar now with teachers voting on starting school before Labor Day on August 31st or after on September 10th.

A calendar will be presented to the school committee before its next meeting. Teacher voting will take place this week.