DeKalb schools to consider “balanced” calendar for next year

Select teachers, principals, administrators and parents will meet Tuesday to begin planning the 2013-14 DeKalb County School District calendar. They’ll be working with constraints including nine teacher workdays, state testing dates and holidays to build the 180-day teaching calendar.

System officials say options include a weekly early release day to give teachers professional development time and a so-called “balanced calendar” that shortens summer break by two weeks and distributes the time off into each semester.

The public can view and comment on the options Sept. 17 through Sept. 26, before a recommendation goes to the superintendent and then to the school board for a vote on Oct. 8.