Ken McLemore

HOPE – Two significant changes to the academic calendar of the Hope Public Schools for the 2021-2022 year will eliminate “virtual instruction days” and include two designated days for split open house observances.

Designated “virtual instruction days” were adopted into the 2020-2021 calendar to accommodate a school year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students and faculty worked off-site exclusively on those days. The five days were used apart from two general “pivots” to virtual instruction by the district during the course of the year as COVID-19 affected public education in Arkansas and a historic snowstorm stalled classes.

The new calendar calls for five days from May 31-June 6 to be used as “inclement weather” days instead.

The HPS will also split two designated Open House days between its five general campuses Aug. 10 and Aug. 12. Open House will be observed at Clinton Primary School and Hope High School on Aug. 10, while Yerger Middle School, Beryl Henry Elementary School and Hope Academy of Public Service will be observed Open House on Aug. 12.

The change accommodates parents who have children attending different campuses to allow more time for classroom visits.

Classes will begin for the year Aug. 16 and the last day of school will be May 26.

Holidays in the 2021-2022 calendar will include Labor Day, Sept. 6; Thanksgiving, Nov. 22-26; Christmas, Dec. 20-Jan.2; Winter Break, Feb. 18-21; Spring Break, March 18-27; and, Easter weekend, April 15-17.

Parent-Teacher Conference dates followed by no classes include Oct. 21 and March 17.

Early dismissals will be observed on Sept. 1, Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Feb. 2, March 2, and April 6.

The calendar was adopted by vote of the district faculty and staff and has been approved by the Hope School Board.