Junior Eileen Rachelson spent around 10 hours studying during winter break last year. Because first semester is scheduled to end before break next year, she plans to leave her backpack in a corner, untouched.
“For this new system, break should entirely be focused on having a good mental health,” said Rachelson. “Everyone needs time to—regardless of how many classes you’re taking—you just need time to not do anything for a while and realize more important things in life, like hanging out with friends.”
To accommodate ending first semester before winter break, the school year will start on Aug. 14, which shortens next summer by nine days. The reduced summer may alter students’ plans and use of the break.
“I do think the biggest thing that’s going to be impacted for me is college applications,” said Rachelson. “My junior year summer will be shorter and I think that a lot of people use the summer of junior year to work on college apps. and stuff like that.”
In November of 2023, the Board of Education authorized a calendar study for the 2025-2026 school year. The major concerns that inspired the study were student well-being, alignment with other school districts and providing colleges with seventh-semester transcripts.
The committee that reviewed the calendar consisted of teachers, administrators, parents and students. Among them was Dr. Ninja Idrizi, assistant superintendent of educational services, who oversees the creation of the calendar each year.
Idrizi was tasked with the calendar study because the community brought forward concerns in 2022 that the administration should revisit the idea of changing the calendar, she said.
The recent calendar study was not the first time the district had considered moving finals.
In 2017, a committee and administration actually recommended the transition to the calendar that placed first semester before winter break, Idrizi said.
“But after the discussion, the decision was made to remain with the current schedule,” Idrizi said.
The most recent calendar study included two surveys that gathered over 5,000 responses. Unlike in previous years, these surveys revealed a clear preference, with 79 percent of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing with ending first semester before winter break.
Next year’s calendar changes may also impact extracurricular activities. The tennis team, which Rachelson plays on, could start the season as early as Aug. 11, according to the IHSA website. Next year, school will start three days after this date, in comparison to this year, when there were 10 days between the start of the season and the school year.
Trying out during the school year would be hard, especially for freshmen who are adjusting to a new environment and suddenly have to begin tryouts, Rachelson said.
“[The calendar change] may take some getting used to, but I realize that a lot of other schools have made this change,” Rachelson said.
“We’re going to survive,” said Rachelson. “We’re going to adjust.”