The 2019-20 School Calendar was approved by the Board of Education at its regular meeting on January 28, 2019. This year's calendar was developed after reviewing student attendance and school community survey data. Survey results indicate that 73 percent of survey participants believe the school calendar has been designed in a way that helps improve student attendance; 75 percent believe the school calendar is family friendly; 73 percent believe that the school calendar is strategically designed minimize student absences from school and school stress; and, 52 and 62 percent are in favor of maintaining the fall and spring recess while 35 and 29 percent opposed them, respectively.

Background information regarding our calendar was shared with the school community as follows:

• The District was deemed by the Department of Education a School with Chronic Absenteeism prior to the 2014-15 school year.
• Student attendance was lower during the second week of November (NJEA Week) when school would traditionally close Wednesday through Friday; during the school days immediately preceding the Easter Holiday; and, anytime school operated on an early dismissal schedule.
• The “Family Friendly” School Calendar was first adopted with the 2014-15 School Year and has been adopted each year thereafter.
• Student attendance at South Harrison Twp. Elementary School improved to 95.9% in the first year of adoption of the “Family Friendly” School Calendar and 96% in the current year for grades 1-6. Student attendance averages over 95% since 2014.
• The “Family Friendly” School Calendar closely aligns with the Kingsway Regional Middle and High School.
• Kingsway adopted the “Family Friendly” School Calendar for the 2019-20 School Year.
• The NJEA Convention is scheduled for November 7-8th and cannot be changed by the District, thus closing our school on these two days.
• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy, the length of our student school year is 181 days.
• The teacher calendar is 187 days pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement.

Therefore, the 2019-20 school calendar was developed and reviewed by a committee of administrators, faculty and staff, and our school community. We took great strides to develop a calendar that optimizes our instructional program while meeting the competing needs of our stakeholders. It was also important to make every effort to align our school calendar with our Kingsway Regional Middle and High Schools. Please keep in mind that school calendars are subject to change, especially due to emergency school closings. Please read the Emergency School Closing disclaimer below the calendar.

If you have any questions regarding our calendars or have an idea to improve our school calendar development process, please contact our Superintendent of Schools, Dr. James J. Lavender at (856) 467-4600, ext. 4205. 

Black Out Days - Please be advised that the District is closed to all faculty, staff, students and visitors on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the Friday following, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. If any of these holidays fall on a weekend, then the holiday is observed on the first preceding weekday.