APS calendar delivers info, life lessons

Several businesses make it possible for district to distribute free calendars

Albuquerque Public Schools recently delivered some 90,000 free calendars to parents, students, teachers and staff outlining key dates throughout the year including school holidays, fall, winter and spring break dates, grading periods, art shows, sport championships and testing windows.

For those still wanting one, they can be downloaded at www.aps.edu/schools/schoolcalendars, and extra copies are available at APS headquarters at 6400 Uptown Blvd. NE.

Last year’s calendar earned an Award of Excellence from the National School Public Relations Association. Of the nearly 600 entries, the APS calendar was one of only 83 that received awards of excellence, APS said in a news release.

The theme of this year’s calendar is Life Lessons, which is linked to the emerging APS academic master plan.

“Public education is all about life lessons,” APS Superintendent Raquel Reedy wrote in her calendar message. “As educators — and by educator I mean anyone who touches the lives of students — it is our responsibility to guide students through all of these life lessons so that they graduate with the skills, knowledge and ability to succeed in a highly competitive and rapidly changing world.

“But what is guiding the educators?” Reedy wrote. “That’s the purpose of the Albuquerque Public Schools Academic Master Plan.”

These wall and electronic calendars are provided at no cost to families and employees thanks to a long-standing partnership with Albuquerque the Magazine. For the eighth straight year, the local publication has worked with the APS Communications Office on designing and printing calendars at no charge to the district, saving taxpayers nearly $300,000.

Several businesses also helped cover the cost of the calendar, including Southwest Capital Health, Albuquerque Hearing and Balance, Cornali Orthodontics, Comcast Internet Essentials and CNM.

The calendar features 13 students representing every grade from kindergarten to graduate offering life advice from classic literature, modern novels, inspirational speakers, and popular culture including movies, TV, cartoons, and even memes, APS said.

The calendar also includes tips for parents on topics such as online grades and attendance, school meals, delays and cancellations, school transfers and more. And it includes coupons for families from a variety of area businesses.

Important highlighted calendar dates include:

9/5 Labor Day (schools & administrative offices closed)

10/6 Fall break for students; professional development day for staff

10/7 Fall break (schools closed)

10/31-Nov. 1 Middle School student-led conferences

11/8 Presidential Election Day (schools closed)

11/11 Veterans Day (schools closed)

11/21-22 Elementary School parent/teacher conferences

11/23-25 Thanksgiving break (schools closed; administrative offices closed Nov. 24-25)

12/19-1/2 Winter break (schools closed; administrative offices closed Dec. 23-Jan. 2)

1/3 Professional Development Day (no school for students)

1/4 First Day of Second Semester

1/16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day (schools closed)

2/20 Presidents Day (schools and administrative offices closed)

2/23-24 Middle and High School student-led conferences

3/9-10 Elementary School parent/teacher conferences

3/20-24 Spring break (schools closed)

4/14 Vernal Holiday (schools and administrative offices closed)

5/15-20 Graduation Week 5/25 Last day of school 5/26 Weather makeup day

5/29 Memorial Day (schools and administrative offices closed)

5/30-31 Weather makeup day