OH attendance procedures and longer fall break raise questions among students, staff

As OH experiences its first year with a full week off for Thanksgiving and continued use of the “present survey” on special schedule days, students and staff are noticing how these changes affect attendance, stress, and classroom pacing.

The extended break, approved as part of the district’s revised calendar, was designed to reduce the high absence rates that typically occur around the holiday. While many appreciate the extra time off, some say the shift has created new challenges in the classroom.

“Getting the whole week off definitely helps students and staff recharge,” OH English teacher and yearbook adviser Ewa Tulak said. “But depending on where classes are in the unit, that timing can throw things off.”

Her classes happened to finish their unit right before break, which made the schedule smoother; however, she acknowledged that many teachers across the building are not as fortunate.

The district added two extra Thanksgiving break days by shifting instructional time to other areas of the school year. District Communications Director Theresa Komitas said the decision reflects long-term attendance patterns rather than a change in total instructional time.

“Student and staff absences are much higher during the days surrounding the holiday, and many families travel or host visitors,” Komitas said. “Aligning the schedule with these patterns reduces disruptions and provides students and staff with a meaningful chance to recharge.”

OH Truancy Interventionist James Melton said changes in the calendar noticeably influence attendance and momentum around breaks. “As a classroom teacher, I did realize early on the attendance right before breaks was a little worse. The ‘learning energy’ was lower right after a break,” said Melton.

Meanwhile, students expressed mixed feelings about how schedule changes affect their workload. OH senior Vanessa Driscoll said the shorter fall semester has made teachers pack more assignments and tests into a tighter timeline.

“I think teachers tend to squeeze things into the first semester because they have less time,” Driscoll said. “It makes the workload feel heavier, especially for classes that only last one semester.”

Beyond the break itself, students also reacted to the present survey, the Google attendance form required on certain asynchronous or testing days. Driscoll said the system has caused her to be marked absent more than once.

“Often I forget to wake up early enough to fill it out,” Driscoll said. “It feels unnecessary to get an unexcused absence for something like that, especially when no class is happening.”

Tulak said form completion has improved recently, but still depends heavily on reminders. “Students usually remember now, especially if they set alarms,” Tulak said. “But if teachers don’t remind them ahead of time, it’s easy for them to forget.”

OH Senior Keala Acuesta said she supports having an attendance system but disagrees with the early deadline. “It can be very disadvantageous for students who have responsibilities at home or who really need that morning to rest,” Acuesta said. “Missing the form shouldn’t count the same as skipping school.”

OH Social studies teacher and Oswego Education Association union representative Cody Fleming said the calendar is shaped by input from teachers, families, and the Board of Education each year.

“Balancing semesters is always tricky, especially for semester-long classes that lose instructional time when the calendar shifts,” Fleming said. “But teachers always find ways to adjust lessons or units so everything still fits.”

Acuesta said the compressed semester has made her classes feel more rushed, especially in subjects with heavier writing or testing loads.

“Teachers are trying to fit everything in before break, and the pace is definitely faster,” Acuesta said. “It adds stress, even though the break itself is supposed to help us recharge.”

Even with concerns about workload and attendance forms, many OH community members agree that the intention behind the extended break is positive. The district hopes the schedule better aligns with family needs, reduces substitute shortages, and provides meaningful rest during a busy time of year.

As the school year continues, OH teachers and students will keep adjusting to the new rhythm created by the updated calendar.

Whether the longer Thanksgiving break ultimately reduces stress or adds new challenges, the community remains focused on finding balance between academic expectations and student well-being.