Kansas City Public Schools will extend Thanksgiving break for students and staff
The Kansas City Public School District is giving its students and staff extra time off for the Thanksgiving holiday later this month.
School officials have decided to cancel classes on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23, expanding the fall break to a full week. The calendar shift will not result in additional school days at the end of the year, said Superintendent Mark Bedell, who announced the change in an open letter Thursday.
“I hope this change will give everyone more time during a season where many of us look forward to reconnecting and recharging,” he said.
Bedell said staff was consulted ahead of the decision. School quarantines, shortages of substitute teachers and challenges with transporting students have placed strains on the district during the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted.
For parents caught off guard by the change, the school district is partnering with Camp Fire, Boys & Girls Club, the YMCA, the Upper Room and Turn the Page to provide free child care from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 22 and 23.
Bedell said in the letter that the school district calendar is intended to work for everyone.
“That means listening to staff and student feedback and making bold adjustments when necessary,” he said.
Bedell also noted the public school board has voted to recognize Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of African-American slaves. Employees who work over the summer will have June 20 off as a paid holiday, Bedell said.
“We see this as an extension of our work around educational equity,” he said.
This story was originally published November 4, 2021 at 5:33 PM.
