Mainstreet Daily News
Alachua County Public School (ACPS) students will share their spring break with the University of Florida after approval of the 2022-23 school year calendar Tuesday night.
The School Board of Alachua County made the decision at its regular meeting, making this the first time that UF and ACPS align the week off.
According to the calendar, the break will be a week earlier than usual for the ACPS, running from March 13 to March 17, 2023.
This year’s spring break falls during the week of March 21.
“For years, parents have asked the district to align its Spring Break with UF to prevent the childcare issues that come with having children off one week and parents off another,” Superintendent Dr. Carlee Simon said in a statement. “We believe pushing the break up a week will benefit thousands of families by allowing them to spend that time together.”
Under the 2022-23 calendar, school will start for students on Wednesday, Aug. 10. Under state law, that’s the earliest date students can go back to school. Starting on that date gives Florida districts a longer window of time to meet state testing mandates.
The calendar again includes flex days, which are pupil holidays that can be used to make up for days lost to bad weather or other emergencies. It also includes additional paid professional development days for teachers, although negotiations with the Alachua County Education Association about those days are ongoing.
Schools will again be closed for the entire week of Thanksgiving.
The district has tentatively scheduled the student/teacher holiday for UF Homecoming for Friday, Oct. 7. Because UF has not yet set its homecoming schedule, that date on the ACPS calendar could change.
The district’s calendar for the 2022-23 school year can be found on the district’s website at www.sbac.edu/22-23calendar.