Calendars and Schedules

2024-25 School Calendar

The Board of Education approved the calendar in November 2023. Watch the Calendar Committee presentation to the board.>>

 

2024-25 Graduations

Information about celebration dates for the Class of 2025 will be posted when scheduled.

PSD Calendar Survey 2023

Data from the 2023 PSD calendar survey is available here.

Every two years, the Calendar Committee distributes the calendar survey, asking our community to provide information about your priorities and values in a school year calendar. Please keep in mind that this survey is only intended to gather information. Participation in this survey is not a vote on a specific calendar.  

PSD's Calendar Committee will use a variety of data and information, including this survey data, to make determinations about what calendar for the 2024-25 school year to recommend for adoption to the Board of Education. This recommended calendar for the next school year will be presented to the board for approval in November 2023.  

PSD Calendar Committee

The Calendar Committee's charter states the responsibilities of the committee. View the charter here.

The Calendar Committee includes representatives from schools, teachers, classified staff and parents. Those interested in serving on the Calendar Committee are welcome to contact Co-Chairs Alicia Bono and Melanie Mierzwa for more information. This committee wants to be as inclusive as possible and consider the many perspectives in our PSD communities. Members of the committee: 

  • Alicia Bono (committee co-chair, aliciab@psdschools.org ) - district employee (admin) and parent  
  • Melanie Mierzwa (committee co-chair, mmierzwa@psdschools.org) - district employee (admin) and parent 
  • John Robinson – Poudre Education Association president
  • Joni Baker – Association of Classified Employees president
  • Natasha Michaud – district employee (Information Technology) and parent
  • Becky Woodcox - district employee (licensed/teaching)
  • Ryan Bishop - district employee (licensed teaching)
  • Sarah Vaughan - district employee (licensed/teaching)
  • Alex McAnally - district employee (licensed/teaching)
  • Erich Wonsavage - PSD chief human resources officer

Elements in the School Calendar

Elements the committee incorporates into the calendar, as well as overall guidelines followed when creating a school calendar.  

For elementary schools:

  • 175 elementary student contact days
  • 360 hours of student class time in the first semester (determines full-time student funding for PSD)
  • 990 hours of student class time during the school year
  • Three conference/exchange days (two in the fall, one in the spring - no students at school) 

For secondary schools:

  • 176 secondary student contact days
  • 360 hours of student class time in the first semester (determines full-time student funding for PSD)
  • 1080 hours of student class time during the school year
  • Two conference/exchange days (one in the fall, one in the spring - no students at school)
  • One transition day for sixth- and ninth-grade students only

For all schools:

  • Six building work days (no students at school) designed for staff professional development, work on planning and implementation of building and district goals, on-site teacher work time
  • Two teacher work days (no students at school) to assist in grading and reporting, class preparation, other tasks (usually the first Monday in January and the third Monday in May)

Calendar Guidelines

The PSD Calendar Committee follows these guiding principles when creating the calendar:

  • Start as late in the summer as possible to avoid heat
  • Ending 1st semester before winter break, allowing for final exams before the break
  • Maximize class time before state-mandated testing (March/April) and Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate testing (April/May)
  • Adhere to Colorado State Statutes for meeting required class time
  • Adhere to the PSD Employee Agreement
  • Attempt to sensitively schedule school breaks
  • Align Spring Break with Colorado State University
  • Logical holiday breaks for families
  • Common Sense Clause – sometimes the simplest solution is the best

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the timeline for board adoption of the calendar? The PSD Board of Education adopts calendars for the subsequent school year by the end of each calendar year.
  • Why does the first semester end before winter break? If the first semester went into January, more days would be included in first semester. One of the values we have for high school students is that it is better to complete course work and final exams before leaving for a two-week winter break. Until the committee sees a need to change this practice, first semester will be scheduled to end before winter break.

Contact Information

School Calendar Committee Contact
Melanie Mierzwa, Riffenburgh Elementary School principal | mmierzwa@psdschools.org  | 970.488.7938

Alicia Bono, Cache La Poudre Middle School principal | aliciab@psdschools.org | 970.488.7402.