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Medford schools propose starting week before Labor Day 123rf.com Friday Apr 7, 2017 at 4:49 PM Apr 7, 2017 at 5:30 PM Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune @teresathomas_MT Medford School District officials have proposed starting school a week early — beginning in 2018-19 — to give students more instructional time before state and national assessments and to wrap up the third quarter before spring break. Medford students have historically started school the Tuesday after Labor Day and ended the second week of June, give or take a few days. However, the district’s calendar committee has proposed that school begin the Monday before Labor Day in 2018 and wrap up the first week of June 2019. The proposed changes would not impact the length of the school year (175 days), the timing of winter and spring breaks nor the Oregon School Activities Association’s sports schedule, clarified district spokeswoman Natalie Hurd. “The thought is that starting school earlier could increase student achievement, giving (students) four extra days before testing,” she said. The Smarter Balanced assessments and the Oregon Assessment of Skills and Knowledge generally are offered in the spring. Advanced Placement testing is held at the end of the school year, and PSAT and ACT assessments are offered once in the fall and once in the winter. Starting school earlier also would mean students could take their third-quarter exams before, rather than immediately after, spring break and be in school before the first fall sports contests begin. “And the way we proposed the changes would still give people a four-day Labor Day weekend,” Hurd said. The committee also looked at weather patterns and discovered that there is only about two degrees difference in temperature between late August and early September, Hurd said, adding that all of Medford’s schools are air conditioned. While it is early to begin planning the 2018-19 calendar, the committee wanted to begin the conversation now to give parents and staff the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed calendar changes. A survey on the subject will be emailed to parents and made available on the district’s website early next week, Hurd said. No significant changes were proposed for the 2017-18 calendar, which will be approved by the board Monday. — Reach education reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected]. Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt.