The Broward County School Board has been considering ending summer vacation early for the 2016-2017 school year. At the most recent meeting, members have decided to start school on the original date, Aug. 22 instead of Aug. 15. Because of this decision the last day of school will be later to account for the difference.

“We as a board have been in total agreement that we do not want family time over the holidays to be disrupted,” board member Abby Freedman said.

Although there were both positives and negatives to this decision, the final verdict has been made. One of the most important downsides to the earlier first day of school date is that it would cost the school district a grand total of $800,000 because they would have to cut five instructional days from the district’s technical colleges.  Also, a group called Save Our Summers persuaded legislators to schedule the first day of school no sooner than Labor Day.

“I wouldn’t be able to go to the camp I had wanted to go to if the date had been earlier,” sophomore Julia Salomone said.  “I’ve been looking forward to it for ages and I wouldn’t have my chance.”

The Broward County School Board concluded that many family vacations and trips to summer camps would be negatively affected by an earlier school year. The main perk that intrigued the board was that the first semester could end before Winter Break with an earlier school date. In the end they decided on the later date.

“There is no perfect calendar,” Robert Mayersohn of the Broward County Council of PTA’s said. “I wish there was. There are pros and cons on both sides.”