Why does Massachusetts have 2 school vacation weeks?
BOSTON - Whether you do something special in February or April, it's got us asking - why do we have two school vacation weeks?
February break hits at just the right time - the holidays are over, it's gray, cold and miserable. Even the crossing guards are excited to get away.
"Totally ready for break, not to stand out here twice a day it's really nice," one guard told WBZ-TV.
Nice - yes, unconventional - absolutely. New England is the only region of the country where the vast majority of school districts have two vacation weeks to start the new year, instead of one week in March.
So how did this all start? We went to New England's largest school district for answers.
"February and April breaks is pretty old. In doing some research, there really is no 'Who is the person who did the thing that decided this thing,'" said Ana Tavares, the Deputy Superintendent of Family and Community Advancement at Boston Public Schools.
She notes while the state makes recommendations for when breaks should be, it's ultimately up to each district to make a final decision.
Those decisions were made long ago and making any changes would require significant community input.
"The expectation has been set for so long that folks haven't reached out to me directly," Tavares told WBZ-TV.
There are other considerations as well. Winter and spring sports calendars are interwoven into these breaks. If one school district were to change its vacation structure, it would effectively ostracize itself from its respective league. Parents would need to rearrange workflows and childcare, and don't discount the cultural value in this - even if you're new to it.
Do you have a question you would like answered? Email questioneverything@cbsboston.com.
