The LPS Board of Education has a set of Calendar Values in place from which the development of the school calendars continues to be based (Policy ICA-E). Overall, the calendars are designed to provide flexibility for school sites and continued support for the community to plan family activities and events. This calendar:
- Supports and enhances quality education and a high level of academic achievement.
- Meets or exceeds requirements of Colorado legislation regarding minimal school hours.
- Complies with Littleton Education Association (LEA) negotiated agreements.
- Supports parent/teacher conferences, professional preparation, and in-services.
- Supports a system-wide model, through embedded time, such as professional learning communities and professional development, for licensed staff to collaborate as appropriate regarding improving student achievement.
- Provides for overall coordination of schedules among the three levels—elementary, middle, and high school—to assist families with students across levels.
- Limits partial student contact days due to the negative impact on educational program and on family supervision needs (daycare).
- Provides some building flexibility to address unique needs of their communities.
- Supports schedules for student participation in key assessment programs.
- Provides for approximately equal number of instructional days in each semester.
- Is consistent with expectations for vacation breaks: Thanksgiving, winter, spring, and summer.
- Supports, when possible, a school year calendar with first semester ending before winter break and second semester ending before Memorial Day.