Early Release Calendar Change
Knox County Schools will implement an important calendar change for the upcoming school year.
In May, the Board of Education approved a proposal to create six early-release days for students in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. This proposal is aimed at improving student learning outcomes by:
- Giving teachers regular, designated times to prepare lessons and evaluate student progress;
- Allowing educators from different subject areas to collaboratively discuss the well-being and academic performance of individual students;
- Allowing educators from common subject areas (i.e., math teachers, ELA teachers, etc.) to share insights about curriculum, teaching methods and assessment practices; and
- Helping principals provide professional development to their staff.
Early release days will be held on the following dates in the 2022-23 school year:
- August 17, 2022
- September 21, 2022
- November 16, 2022
- January 25, 2023
- February 15, 2023
- March 22, 2023
Teachers will work a normal schedule on those days. Pre-K students will be dismissed at 11:15 a.m., K-5 students will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m., and students in Grades 6-12 will be dismissed at 1:30 p.m. To prepare for this change, the district will be working with after-care providers in an effort to minimize disruptions for parents and guardians.
Like any professional, teachers need time to prepare, share ideas and work collaboratively to support students. As we continue addressing academic challenges in the wake of the pandemic, we believe this initiative will ensure that our outstanding educators are equipped to meet the needs of students.
