After discussions with the Tecumseh Education Association, Tecumseh Public Schools will begin Winter Break earlier than scheduled.
TPS will begin Winter Break on Monday, December 20th and will return to class on Monday, January 3, 2022. Originally, Monday (12/20) and Tuesday (12/21) were scheduled days of instruction, with the 21st being a half-day for all students and staff. The last day of classes before Winter Break is Friday, December 17th. That is still a full day of instruction.
Superintendent Rick Hilderley brought the idea of the potential changes to the TEA leadership and they approved and re-negotiated the school calendar.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the recent violence at Oxford Community Schools weighs on people's minds, Superintendent Hilderley felt the extra days off are good for the mental health of our students and their families, and our TPS staff this holiday season.
Superintendent Hilderley appreciates the willingness of the TEA to make these changes.
“At this time, I think the extra days are best spent with family,” says Superintendent Rick Hilderley. “For our staff and students, I just feel it is important and I am grateful that the union was willing to open the calendar to make this adjustment and that our Board was willing to support it.”
With the adjustment of Winter Break, some scheduling changes need to be made.
The half-day originally scheduled on Tuesday, December 21st will not be made up. In combination with the half-day that was scheduled on Friday, September 24th, which became a full day off for students, will be used as one “Act of God” day. The State of Michigan allows for 30-hours of school instructional time to be waived due to inclement weather or “Act of God Days”. That equals five full school days that the district can be closed without having to make up the time.
The final day of the school year will now be Wednesday, June 8th. That will be a half-day for all students. Tuesday, June 7th will now be a full day of instruction.
The Board of Education’s scheduled meeting on Monday, December 20th will still take place.
Normal after school activities, like sports, will still take place as normal during the break.