(CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – In less than one month, more than 9,300 students (at last count) will return to Madison City Schools campuses.

Students report on Aug. 19. Madison teachers must return on Aug. 12 for Institute Day and then pursue professional development on Aug. 13-14. Another half-day for professional development is scheduled for Aug. 15, followed by workdays through Aug. 16.

All schools will close for Labor Day on Sept. 2 and Veterans Day on Nov. 11. School leaders have canceled fall break for 2013. School will dismiss for Thanksgiving on Wednesday, Nov. 27; classes resume on Monday, Dec. 2.

Fall semester 2013 will end Dec. 20. Winter holidays, formerly called ‘Christmas break,’ will include eight schooldays from Dec. 23 through Jan. 1, 2014.

Spring semester 2014 starts for teachers on Jan 2. Students return on Friday, Jan. 3. The district will observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 20.

Dates for spring break will be March 24-28. Madison County’s three school systems — Madison City, Huntsville City and Madison County — will take spring break on the same dates.

The semester ends for students with a half-day on May 23. Teachers will observe Memorial Day on May 26 but have a workday on May 27.

In 2012, the Alabama State Legislature mandated that all public school systems cannot open for the new school year until two weeks before Labor Day. The school year must end by the Friday before Memorial Day.

Proponents of the legislation claim that the condensed calendar will boost Alabama tourism revenue, thus increasing education funding.

“The law covered two academic years with a ‘sunset’ provision requiring it to expire after the 2013-2014 school year,” John Peck said. Peck works as public relations manager for Madison City Schools.

Early in 2012, Madison administrators hoped an ‘opt-out bill’ would allow districts to define their own calendars, but that bill failed to materialize.

For more information, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us and click “School Year Calendars” in the list to the left.