Early Release Days New to CMS School Calendar

Four early release days planned during 2015-16 school year

Hey parents of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students, don't let this one slip by you. New to the CMS calendar this year are early release days. The first early-release day for students is Oct. 7. Students will be released three hours early from school.

The early departures are designed to give teachers more time for professional development and training, and something new to CMS. The calendar with early release days was approved months ago, but slipped under my radar. I don't think I'm alone on that. CMS Chief Academic Officer Brian Schultz offered some answers regarding after-school care and lunch on early dismissal days. To sum it up: lunch will be served, and children in CMS' after-school programs will go to the program as usual at the early dismissal time. Also worth noting, middle-school extraurricular activities will not take place on early dismissal days.

Early release days are Jan. 20 and April 20 with a three-hour early dismissal time, and March 1, with a two-hour early dismissal.

If you are a working parent who doesn't use the after-school program, consider pairing up with a neighbor to swap afternoons you can watch each others' kids. CMS is also offering opportunities to enroll children for the after-school program on early dismissal days for $20 per child. Look for more to come on that from your child's school.