The Cleveland Heights-University Heights school district is reviewing potential adjustments to its academic calendar, including adding instructional hours due to a limited number of calamity days. Contingency plans involving virtual learning and extended school days are being considered to meet state requirements.
Updated: Feb. 07, 2026, 11:50 p.m.The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education observed School Board Recognition Month in January. Front row from right, former member Jodi Sourini, new member Kathi Howard-Primes, board president Gabe Crenshaw and former member Malia Lewis.
Back row from left, three-term member Dan Heintz, board vice president Phil Trimble, Superintendent Liz Kirby and new member Thomas Hodgkiss-Lilly.UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Cleveland Heights-University Heights school officials are looking at some changes to the district’s academic calendar for this year and beyond. First, the district may need to add instructional hours -- either in-class, virtually or both -- if it uses up the finite number of generally weather-related calamity days set by the state. “We are coming up very close to running out of our allotted time at the middle and high schools for the required instructional hours or calamity days,” CH-UH chief of human resources and operations Sean Patton told the school board Feb. 3. In Ohio, high schools get seven calamity days and middle schools eight, while elementary students may be safe with up to 26 days excused. With that in mind, contingency plans are in place if need be, CH-UH chief academic officer Michael Jenkins added.“I was thinking how would this all look with a virtual day,” Jenkins told the school board. “Of course, we had to go back and pull out all of theOhio educational standards require a minimum of 910 instructional hours per semester for grades K-6, then at least 1,001 hours for grades 7-12. “I think we’re in good shape and that we have a well-prepared plan, using Google Classroom and Google Meet,” Jenkins said. That being said, Jenkins noted that the state provision for holding a virtual day in place of calamity only allows for three days. Instead of a whole school day, there may also be an allowance to run existing school days a bit longer.Shortening fall semester As for the 2026-27 school year, the district’s Calendar Committee has introduced a plan to conclude the fall semester in time for the two-week winter break, rather than coming back to wrap up after the holidays. After notifying the public of the proposed changes for 30 days with the clock starting on Feb. 3, the CH-UH school board can take action to modify the academic calendar at its upcoming March meeting.And with state testing in the spring and celebrations over the holidays, “having extra days in the second semester isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” school board Vice President Phil Trimble said. “I thought it lent itself to having a slightly imbalanced first and second semester,” Trimble said. “And having a clean break at winter break, that kind of works itself out nicely.” In the proposed 2026-27 school calendar, classes would start Aug. 19, a day earlier than this current school year. There would still be a full two weeks off at the winter break, then a week and an extra day off proposed for spring break in 2027 -- which will start earlier than the Easter and Passover coming up this year. “I heard from a number of parents that it would be really nice to be able to truly unplug at winter break,” Trimble said. Rather than turning in final projects and assignments or otherwise tying up loose ends from the fall semester, “we can just spend time with the family and recharge,” Trimble added. Patton said the district already ran the idea past the teachers’ union and school principals with support there as well.School board President Gabe Crenshaw also believes that “moving to end the semester before the break supports college readiness for our seniors.”
Academic Calendar Instructional Hours Calamity Days Virtual Learning School Board
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