Thanksgiving breaks gobble up a week for many school districts

For many school districts, Thanksgiving break used to be a two-day addition to the weekend: the Thursday holiday and the Friday after.

Then Wednesday was added because so many people took it off for travel time. Still, staff and student absences on the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week often meant that significant lessons were postponed until after the holiday.

In the spirit of “if you can’t fight ‘em, join ‘em,” more school districts have been closing for the entire Thanksgiving holiday week. In the Pikes Peak area, 10 of the 17 districts have taken that approach. See a list of schools closed Nov. 23-27.

“Our families appreciate it because they can make plans and they have more of a window for travel,” said Nanette Anderson, spokeswoman for Academy School District 20.

D-20 began closing schools for the week in 2005, as did Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8. Both districts have a large number of military families who often travel to be with family during the holidays.

D-20 tried an earlier fall break for a couple of years, but the weeklong break at Thanksgiving seems to be more widely embraced by the community, Anderson said.

Officials in Manitou Springs School District 14 and Woodland Park School District  RE-2 said their students have had the week off “for years,” and their communities appreciate having the family time.

“Schools that are open have a lot of absenteeism that week,” said Woodland Park Superintendent Guy Arseneau, who formerly headed the Cripple Creek-Victor district – where schools are open Monday and Tuesday next week. “Our community likes having that week off.”

But not every district has followed suit. Seven area districts — including the area’s largest, Colorado Springs School District 11 — will hold classes on Monday and Tuesday. So will Calhan School District RJ-1 and Miami Yoder School District 60-JT, which usually don’t hold class on Mondays.

Students in Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 will be in class Monday and Tuesday as well, and if recent trends hold, the absentee rate won’t differ from any other week, said Superintendent Walt Cooper.

In most districts where schools are closed, that administrative offices are open at least on Monday and Tuesday.
Lewis-Palmer School District 38, however, will be shut down completely.

But having the full week off is not a given in D-38, said spokeswoman Robin Adair. The issue is revisited yearly by the calendar committee and depends on where other holidays fall. The calendar is built around completing the first semester before winter break, she said.

“But we have probably taken the week more often than not,” she said.
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