First day of school, Fall 2018?

I can't believe I have to ask this, but does anyone know what the first day of school is for the upcoming school year (2018-2019)? Yes, I checked the BUSD website, and there's no calendar there for next year. My child's school secretary didn't know (!), neither did the school secretaries of several of the other elementary schools in Berkeley (!!), and in repeated calls to different BUSD offices we couldn't get a single human being to answer the phone (!!!). I don't need to explain how stupid and exasperating and, frankly, unprofessional this is. So does anyone know the answer to this apparently obscure question?

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RE:

Googling brought up a proposed calendar for 2018-19 that puts the first day of school on August 27.  But note proposed.  No idea whether that will prove accurate.

RE:

When I was teaching in another district, the next school year calendar was not decided on until spring of the current school year.  There had to be input and consultation by teachers, union, and district administration.

RE:

I don't know for sure about 2018, but in our years of experience with BUSD school has traditionally started on the Tuesday (occasionally Wednesday) before the Labor Day holiday.  Perhaps that gives you enough of an idea to make your plans? Since they didn't respond by telephone, did you email them?  (and of course I don't know how old your kid is, but if they're entering high school there are sign-ups/enrollment/class choice/ID issues that happen prior to the first day)  Good luck

RE:

I believe the radio silence is because it is not yet finalized (nor is OUSD's, though at least they've announced the first day!), which is maddening given that summer camp signups have already opened! However, there is a draft calendar up on the teachers' union site with a first day of August 27th. No idea if that will stick but it would give you some guidance. It also shows proposed Thanksgiving and winter breaks, so worth a look.

RE:

The calendars have not been posted yet for the next school year -- I think it gets posted in March.  The past couple of years BUSD has started on the TUESDAY before Labor day. However, prior to that it was the Wednesday before Labor Day.  Check the website berkeleyschools.net  It will be there when it is published.

RE:

I think you just have to wait. I have no idea when my school district's first day is next year - and I'm a teacher! Sometimes the calendar gets bundled in with other issues that are being negotiated between the unions and mgmt, and that can cause delay, or it could just be too early to know. 

RE:

Isn't it typically the day after Labor Day, ie. September 4? That's when my son's first day of school is at his Berkeley private school.

RE:

I don't live in Berkeley, so I will admit upfront that I'm not super up on the BUSD governance, but generally, school boards approve the calendar developed by administration. No school or office staff can tell you the answer until an official calendar is approved. A good way to find out when they'll be releasing the '18-'19 calendar is to check when the board approved and released last year's calendar. Here in my district, the board doesn't even see a proposed calendar until their February meeting, and approves it in March. Knowing that helps me know when to start looking for it on the district website.

RE:

I don't know, but I just want to agree with you that the school district makes it very hard on working parents. January and February is when we need to get summer camps lined up, request leave for our family vacation, and make plans with other family members who also have to request leave in advance. Not just for summer but also for Thanksgiving and winter break. But there is no official calendar so you are trying to guess which days are available and which aren't. I can remember some years when the BUSD calendar wasn't available until just before school let out in June.  Over the years I saw that school started back sometimes before Labor Day, sometimes after.  I think it is a shame that the district punishes working families in this way.

RE:

It's official now. First day of school is August 27. No one could answer this question for you until the calendar was finalized, for the reasons that others have mentioned.. http://www.berkeleyschools.net/next-school-year-academic-calendar-2018-…