Coming Up: Schools will be closed for Veteran’s Day and the entire week of Thanksgiving

It’s hard to believe we’ve turned two pages on the calendar since school began back on Sept. 2.

But November is indeed upon us, and speaking of the calendar, it’s probably a good time to note some important dates that are coming up. Let’s start with next week, when all schools and sites in IUSD will be closed in observance of Veterans Day on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12. Then, ten days later, the district will go dark the entire week of Nov. 22 to accommodate staff-wide furlough days (Nov. 22-24) and the Thanksgiving recess (Nov. 25-26). As you may recall, the Board of Education approved furlough days in response to California’s ongoing budget crisis, which created a shortfall of nearly $20 million for IUSD. While it was acknowledged that furloughs are not an ideal solution, as they represent lost instructional time for students and reduced compensation for employees, they were necessary, along with a series of other budget adjustments, to help IUSD bridge its budget gap. To access the full calendar for 2010-11, click here. (Update: IUSD has rescinded four of eight employee furlough days for 2010-11, including two instructional days. This won't impact the week of Thanksgiving, as the first restored furlough day is in January. To read more, click here.)