After conducting a survey with three different end dates, the district finalized the calendar for the next school year on Jan. 20.

“Our job is to serve the community,” Assistant Principal Katrina Mabry-Smith said. “We have to put our students first and that means reaching out to families and seeing what works best for them.”

Option B was chosen, in which the school year will start Aug. 16 and end on May 23.

“I don’t mind starting school (a week) earlier if that means we can end early as well,” sophomore Jessica Truong said.

The district was able to offer these options after being named an Innovation District by the Texas Education Agency.

“Becoming a District of Innovation gives us more opportunities to benefit our students,” Mabry-Smith said. “This school year, one semester was a little longer than the other so now it will be more balanced and we will have an equal amount of instructional time in both semesters.”

Because of the changes, band camp will start on July 26.

“I’m in marching band and camp starts a month before school,” sophomore Arianna Bowlin said. “I’d like as much as my free summer as possible.”

In the selected option, winter break will be four days longer.

“I like choice B because of the longer break,” sophomore Andrew Nguyen said. “It gives me more time to spend with my family and friends.”

Bowlin said she likes that the district gave the community a voice.

“Even though the calendar I wanted didn’t get picked, I’m glad that the district allows everyone to have a say in this decision,” she said.

The changes in B were made primarily to balance out the semester days.

“I’m glad they went with option B,” Nguyen said. “It seems like next year will be more organized and improved because of the little fixes they have made.”

The official calendar can be seen on the district webpage.

“I appreciate our district always taking in consideration all of the stakeholders, especially the community because it allows them to actually be a part of the decisions that we make,” Mabry-Smith said. “I encourage everyone to always take those surveys that are pushed out so that they can offer feedback.”