2023-2024 ACADEMIC CALENDAR CONSIDERATIONS

York School District One is considering the adoption of a Modified Balanced Calendar for the 2023-2024 school year.  The South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 59, Chapter 1, Section 59-1-425 outlines school calendar requirements for all school districts. Those requirements are as follows:

• The school term must be 190 days annually.
• 180 of those days must be instruction-based.
• The calendar must cover at least nine (9) months.
• School districts cannot start the school year before the third Monday in August; This provision is waived if districts elect to implement a Modified Balanced Calendar.
• The ten (10) Staff Professional Development days must be broken down into the following categories:
  • Three (3) days must be used for Collegial Professional Development based upon the educational standards as required by Section 59-18-300. The professional development must address, at a minimum, academic achievement standards, including strengthening teachers' knowledge in their content area, teaching techniques, and assessments.
  • No more than two (2) days may be used as preparation for the opening of schools.
  • The remaining five (5) days may be used for teacher planning, academic plans, and parent conferences.
• Three (3) school makeup days must be built into calendars for bad weather. York School District One is now identified as an eLearning District, which allows us to use eLearning on inclement weather days.  We are still required to schedule three inclement weather days in our Academic Calendar.
• Per Section 59-1-370, All public schools shall be closed on Election Day in November of each even numbered year.

Additional Calendar Considerations:

• Inclement weather days should not be tied to workdays.
• A Teacher Workday is common before grades are due.
• A Teacher Workday at the start of 2nd Semester
• Spring Break coincides with other York County school districts.
• Start and End dates coincide with other York County school districts.
• Graduation is held on Friday.
• Time for professional collaboration within and across schools, maximizing workdays and utilizing early release.

VIEW THE 2023-2024 ACADEMIC CALENDAR OPTIONS

YSD1 Modified Balanced Calendar A 
YSD1 Modified Balanced Calendar B 
YSD1 Traditional Calendar C 

2023-2024 ACADEMIC CALENDAR FAQ

Where in the decision process is the District currently and what role can my feedback play?
As other districts in our state and across the county discuss the possibility of a modified calendar, York School District One district administration and the York School District One Board of Trustees are currently seeking to obtain community input on the calendar options.

What is the difference between a year-round and a Modified Balanced Calendar?
A Modified Balanced Calendar is NOT a year-round calendar.  Year-round calendars have an increased number of mandatory attendance days.  With a Modified Balanced Calendar, the number of school days stays the same (180 days for schools in South Carolina).  Traditional and Modified Balanced Calendars are different based on when breaks occur.

What are the benefits of a Modified Balanced Calendar?
The balanced calendar is meant to allow both semesters and grading periods to be equivalent, with 45 days for each grading period and 90 days for each semester.  A Modified Balanced Calendar also provides important mental health and wellness benefits for students and staff by allowing the district to start mid-week at the beginning of the year, finish the first semester prior to Winter Break, finish the school year the week of Memorial Day and have week-long breaks at designated periods throughout the year.

Does the Modified Balanced Calendar add days to the traditional school year?
The Modified Balanced Calendar does NOT add days to the traditional school year.  It redistributes the 180 days to create additional breaks during periods where there are few or no multi-day breaks for teachers and students (October, February, and/or March).

Does a Modified Balanced Calendar shorten summer break?
A Modified Balanced Calendar still has a lengthy summer break, but instead of spanning ten weeks, it is slightly shorter (typically eight weeks).

In a Modified Balanced Calendar, would students and staff still be off for holidays? Would we still have spring break? How long would summer break last?
Yes. Students and staff would still have traditional holidays off.  With a Modified Balanced Calendar, students and staff would also have a fall intersession, winter break, spring break, and a spring intersession. Most districts that operate under a Modified Balanced Calendar have a summer break lasting approximately seven to eight weeks.

Are other local school districts considering a Modified Calendar ?
Several school districts across the state have already implemented a Modified Calendar, while others are planning to implement it in the 2023-2024 school year. Clover and Chester are considering implementing a Modified Calendar for the 2023-2024 school year.

How would a Modified Balanced Calendar impact athletic and band programs?
YSD1 does not anticipate that a Modified Balanced Calendar would negatively impact athletics, band, or other extra-curricular programs.

How would a Modified Balanced Calendar impact dual enrollment courses?
The district would work collaboratively with York Technical College, as it has in years past, to align calendars as closely as possible.  Accommodations would be made for students as needed when breaks do not align.  For example, if York Technical College courses begin a week after our district's start date, students would have the opportunity to spend a week participating in preparation activities before beginning their dual enrollment course.

2023-2024 ACADEMIC CALENDAR SURVEY

York School District One values your feedback.  Please share your thoughts regarding the possibility of the district shifting to a Modified Balanced Calendar by taking our survey below. The survey is open to all parents, teachers, support staff, and community members.

Prior to taking the survey, and in addition to reviewing the draft calendar options, we ask that you view this short video with information on the traditional and the modified calendars.

2023-2024 Draft Calendar Information Video 

Be sure to share your feedback by completing the
YSD1 2023-24 Academic Calendar Survey