The Board of Education approved the school calendar for the 2002-2003 school year during its business meeting on December 11. Included in the calendar is a contingency calendar to be used if the school year is disrupted by emergencies and schools are closed.

The school calendar is based on 184 instructional days for students and 193 duty days for teachers. The first day of school for students will occur before Labor Day on Tuesday, August 27, 2002. The last day of school for students will be on Wednesday, June 18, 2003.

The calendar includes 14 holidays, including two mandated on election days (September 10 and November 5), and a spring break (April 14-17) before Easter, which falls on April 20. Two additional professional days for teachers have been incorporated into the calendar (January 28 and March 19) that will be used to focus on instruction and improving student achievement.


2002-2003 School Calendar
June 28 - Summer School teacher in-service (1/2 day)
July 1 - First day of summer school, 1-12
July 4 - Holiday* - Independence Day
July 19 - Last day of summer school, first session, grades 9-12
July 22 - First day of summer school, second session, grades 9-12
July 26 - Last day of summer school, grades 1-8
Aug. 9 - Last day of summer school, second session, grades 9-12
Aug. 21-23, 26 - Professional days for teachers
Aug. 27 - First day of school for students
Sept. 2 Holiday* - Labor Day
Sept. 10 Holiday* - Primary Election Day
Sept. 16 - Yom Kippur - No school for students and teachers
Oct. 9 - Prof. day for teachers/10-mo. employees - No school for students
Oct. 18 - Statewide Teachers Conf. - No school for students/teachers
Nov. 5 Holiday* - General Election
Nov. 28-29 Holidays* - Thanksgiving
Dec. 24-25 Holidays* - Christmas
Dec. 23, 26, 27, 30, 31 - Winter break - No school for pupils and teachers
Jan. 1 Holiday* - New Year's Day
Jan. 20 Holiday* - Martin L. King, Jr.'s Birthday
Jan. 27 - Prof. day for teachers - No school for students
Jan. 28 - Prof. day for teachers - No school for students
Feb. 17 Holiday*- Presidents’ Day
March 19 - Professional day for teachers - No school for students
April 14-17 - Spring break - No school for pupils and teachers
April 18, 21 Holidays* - Easter (Note: Passover begins April 17)
May 26 Holiday* - Memorial Day
June 18 - Last day of school for students
June 19 - Professional day for teachers
*All administrative offices and schools are closed.

School contingency calendar, 2002-2003
If the school year should be disrupted by emergencies and schools are closed:
-5 days, the school year will be extended by one day to June 19, 2003.
-6 days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 19 and 20.
-7 days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 19 and 20, and schools will be open on April 14 of spring break.
-8 days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 19 and 20, and schools will be open on April 14 and 15 of spring break.
-9 days, the school year will be extended by two days to June 19 and 20, and schools will be open on April 14, 15 and 16 of spring break.


The calendar also can be accessed on the MCPS web site at the link below.