The Olympia School District is part of a regional group, including some other Thurston County school districts, that is in the beginning stages of exploring the concept of a balanced calendar.

A balanced calendar would modify the traditional 180-day school calendar to keep the learning process continuous. Instead of a calendar dominated by a very long summer break, students would have more periodic, longer breaks throughout the school year and a shorter summer break. Students attending schools that follow a balanced calendar receive the same number of instructional days and hours as those who attend schools that follow a traditional calendar.

Opportunities to learn more and provide input

• An OSD Citizen Advisory Committee focused on a balanced calendar will meet the first and third Wednesday of each month beginning in March 2022. The next meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled on Wednesday, March 2 beginning at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Meeting agendas, minutes and the Zoom link to access the CAC meetings are posted on the Citizen Advisory Committee Balanced Calendar webpage.
  
  
• The next in a series of monthly Community Webinars will focus on a balanced calendar. The March 15 webinar will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Zoom. Superintendent Patrick Murphy, School Board Director Scott Clifthorne and Community Member Sandy Hallstrom will share information the first half hour and then open for questions during the last half hour. More information, including the Webinar Zoom link, is posted in a news article on the district website.
  
  
• For more information on balanced calendar, visit the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD) Balanced Calendar Initiative website. The AESD is one of several statewide organizations partnering with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction on a Balanced Calendar initiative.