A slight adjustment to the four enrichment-geared intercession weeks is the only change in the Vicksburg Warren School District calendar for 2009-10.

Aimed at students needing to catch up on basic skills, the special sessions, begun this year, will be continued. A difference is that the October intercession will be moved back a week to make up for a federal holiday on Columbus Day, Superintendent James Price said.

The reason, Price said, is to circumvent absences, which can number in the hundreds, when parents who are federal employees are off and keep their children home, too. The October intercession will begin on the Oct. 12 holiday and end Friday, Oct. 16.

Also, the March intercession, which is five days this year, will be three next year. The rearrangement will result in 16 intercession days next year, down from 18 days this year.

About 650 elementary students and about 300 high school students have attended the classes during sessions held in October and January. In the lower grades, district officials said that number was down by half during the January session. Subjects in which students have caught up include reading comprehension in the lower grades to pre-algebra help for those in high school. The remainder of this year’s intercessions take place March 16-20 and June 2-5.

Administrators and teachers have moderated the classes, which have operated at a 7-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Additional enrichment programs are planned next year, as well as classes geared to help students graduate early.

This fall, classes for all students begin Aug. 4, a Tuesday. Buildings will be opened for staff and faculty a week earlier. Holidays include one regular school week for Thanksgiving and two for Christmas. So-called “60 percent” days are set for Dec. 18 and May 31, days preceding the Christmas holiday and the end of the school year.

The number of days classes must meet is set by the Legislature. Most school funds come from state payments based on average daily attendance.

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Contact Danny Barrett Jr. at dbarrett@vicksburgpost.com.

2009-10 Calendar

Vicksburg Warren School District

July 28-31: buildings open

Aug. 3: required staff development day

Aug. 4: first day of school

Week of Aug. 31: progress reports issued

Sept. 7: Labor Day holiday

Week of Oct. 5: report cards issued

Oct. 12-16: intercession, including flexible staff development days Oct. 15-16.

Week of Nov. 9: progress reports issued

Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving holidays

Dec. 18:  60 percent day

Dec. 21-Jan. 1: Christmas holidays

Jan. 4-7: intercession, including flexible and required staff development days Jan. 6-7.

Week of Jan. 11: report cards issued

Week of Feb. 8: progress reports issued

March 15-17: intercession, including flexible staff development days March 16-17.

Week of March 22: report cards issued

April 2-9: Good Friday/Easter Break/Spring holidays

Week of April 26: progress reports issued

Week of May 24: report cards issued

May 31: last day of school

June 1-4: intercession, including required and flexible staff development days June 1-2.

Graduation dates

Vicksburg High School, Thursday, May 27

Warren Central High School, Friday, May 28