The Avoyelles Parish School Board recently passed the 2012-13 school calendar.

There were some minor changes to the calendar from last year, which were presented by Luke Welch, the SIS (Student Information Systems) coordinator, and approved by a committee of teachers and administrators.

The biggest change will be the end of the third six weeks. Years ago, it was argued that the third six weeks needed to end before the Christmas break so students could take mid-term tests before the holidays.

Now, because of state testing, Welch said mid-term tests are no longer given in the schools. Welch added moving the end of the third six weeks back to January would have no affect on the students, and put the parish in-line with surrounding parishes. He said that was important because a student wanting to transfer into the parish at mid-term would no longer be behind in class work.

So with the change, the third six weeks will now end on January 9, 2013.

Under the calendar passed, public schools will open classes for students on Thursday, August 16. Teachers will report on Monday, August 13. At Bunkie Elementary Learning Academy, which is in session almost year around, the new school year will start on Wednesday, July 11, with teachers reporting to the school on Monday, July 9.

School will end for all students on Friday, May 24, 2013 and teachers will close out the year on Saturday, May 25, 2013.

There is an additional holiday for students and teachers in the calender because of the election for U.S. president, on Tuesday, November 6.

The Thanksgiving holiday will run from November 19 to November 23 and the Christmas holiday will start at the end of classes on Friday, December, 21, and run until Monday, January 7.

There is a change in the Easter holiday schedule. In the past, students were out of school the week after Easter, but because of state testing dates, school will be out before Easter, from the end of school on Friday, March 22, 2013, until Tuesday, April 2, 2013. State testing begins for all students the next Monday, April 8, 2013.

Other holidays include, September 3- Labor Day; November 12- Veterans Day; January 21- MLK and February 11 and 12- Mardi Gras.

Staff development days, when students don’t report to school, will be October 5 and January 18.