ROCK HALL — The Kent County Board of Education has approved the 2022-2023 school calendar, with the first day of classes falling before Labor Day.

The unanimous vote to accept the calendar as presented with a pre-Labor Day start was taken at a board meeting held Monday evening, Feb. 14. 

Kent County Public Schools will begin the 2022-2023 academic year with a staggered start.

On Monday, Aug. 29, students in kindergarten through sixth grade and ninth-graders will report for their first day of school. All students in kindergarten through 12th grade will have school the following day. The first day of school for pre-kindergarteners is Wednesday, Aug. 31.

Schools and offices will be closed for a long Labor Day holiday running Friday, Sept. 2 through Monday, Sept. 5.

The next big break is the Thanksgiving holiday, with school closed starting Wednesday, Nov. 23 and students returning Monday, Nov. 28. Winter break follows. It begins Wednesday, Dec. 21 and ends with students back in class on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Spring break will start with a half day Wednesday, April 5 with students returning to school Thursday, April 13.

The last day of school for all students is Thursday, June 15, which will be a half day.

The calendar includes 90-minute early dismissal days, half days and additional days off for staff professional development.

Additional holidays off are Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, Jan. 16; Presidents Day Monday, Feb. 20; and Memorial Day Monday, May, 29.

The calendar includes four inclement weather days. 

Calendar proposals were drafted by a committee including Kent County Public Schools teachers, staff, administrators and parents. 

Two calendars, one featuring a pre-Labor Day start and one with the first day of school falling after Labor Day, were released to students, staff and the community for input.

There were 720 responses to this year's calendar survey. The survey showed 53.2% of respondents favored the pre-Labor Day start.