BUGS begins the school year with student orientation and Baseline diagnostic assessments during the week before Labor Day. This allows students and teachers to begin establishing relationships and the culture of the learning environment. For students new to BUGS, it provides a low pressure, high impact acclimation to the community. The early diagnostic data opportunity allows BUGS teachers to plan more effectively to meet individual students’ needs.

Extended time for learning is a key design element of the BUGS Charter. As an independent NYC charter school, BUGS establishes its own calendar to maximize instructional time and adhere to the charter through a longer school year, longer class periods, and slightly longer school day. 

BUGS is mandated by the state to meet the required number of days for the charter. One way BUGS implements extended time for learning is by starting the school year before Labor Day. This also means that we are NOT extending learning by shortening Winter Recess, Mid-Winter Recess, or Spring Break. Nor are we extending the calendar of instructional days beyond the last week of June. 

While some NYC charter schools start up to two weeks earlier, BUGS has historically begun at most one week prior to Labor Day. All other major breaks and holidays are consistent with the NYC Department of Education (DOE) calendar and maintained year-over-year to minimize disruption for families.

Other options considered have been longer class periods, a longer school day, and extending into the Month of July. Longer class periods and a longer school day were not effective for our students, teachers and families. Extending the school year into July was also not favorable to many due to the impact it would have on students and families plans for summer camps, summer vacations, or summer school where necessary. Altering other scheduled breaks presents similar challenges for families whose children attend Department of Education (DOE) schools, as this would result in differing recess schedules (Mid-Winter Recess, Spring Break).

Yes. To avoid unnecessary disruption for our families, BUGS aligns its major school breaks and holidays with the NYC Department of Education calendar. Our extended instructional time is gained primarily at the start of the year.

BUGS has considered the options mentioned above for meeting the mandated requirements for the instructional calendar and have concluded that the least impactful to students and families is to start the week before Labor Day.  BUGS does not plan to consider commencing the school year following Labor Day in the foreseeable future.