Calendar Improvements 2018 - 2019

J A N U A R Y 2 3 , 2 0 1 8
CALENDAR
IMPROVEMENTS
2018 - 2019
“What do our students need
to thrive at CAG and to make
meaningful contributions to
Guatemala and the world?”
The new calendar year marks an important
time for schools around the world, and CAG is
no exception! We are well into making plans
for the 2018-2019 school year in establishing
goals and priorities to move our community
ahead in achieving excellence.
As we embark upon our planning, we begin by
asking ourselves,
“What do our students need to thrive at CAG
and to make meaningful contributions to
Guatemala and the world?”.
Whatever answers this question inspires, the
school must ensure the right conditions for
student engagement, faculty success and
parent confidence to best fulfill the promise
of our mission.
Because we are a school committed to
community, we seek to develop stronger
partnerships across the sections to impact the
student profile. This requires our school to
work as “one” in keeping the CAG student at
the center of the school experience. For the
2018-19 school year, we will begin this
process by making some improvements in our
school schedule and calendar.

SHARED DISMISSAL
GRADES K-12 WILL ENTER AT 7:30AM AND EXIT AT 2:00PM
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
The shared dismissal time supports schoolwide alignment, after school programming and
athletics, and also allows for faculty to maintain consistent office hours for students and
families, while also opens opportunity for shared facility use, planning and professional
development.
Currently, all sections share the same entry time, but stagger their exit times. The staggering of
time throughout the week does not add enough meaningful learning time for our older
students to make an impact on curriculum completion. Later dismissal times are also,
periodically, compromised for early school closings due to city traffic patterns or emergency
closings. Staggered dismissals also task school resources that can be best redirected to the
academic program.
Pre-Kindergarten will continue with the same 7:30am - 12:00pm schedule
MAXIMIZE CONTACT TIME
WE HAVE ELIMINATED 19 HALF DAYS FROM THE SCHOOL
CALENDAR AND REPLACED THEM WITH 12 FULL DAYS TO
MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM A 2:00PM
DISMISSAL.
In 2017-2018, we scheduled 19 half days
throughout the year. At times, these days were
staggered uniquely from one section to
another.
In 2018-2019, we have scheduled 6 half days for
Pre-K through 5th grade and 4 half days for
grades 6-12. With the exception of the first two
days of school in August 2018, the half days are
shared by ALL sections. To accommodate this
alignment in school reporting and
conferencing, all sections will function on a
trimester schedule.

OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR NEXT
YEAR SCHEDULES 186 SCHOOL DAYS
These extra day are above Ministry requirements of 180 days
and afford us some flexibility if there are unplanned school
closings, special campus speakers or events for our students.
We will seek to use these days for instruction, however they will
also serve as buffers. Also, there is a direct correlation between
student success and time invested in the school schedule and
calendar.
A school that makes intentional efforts to build a predictable
and supportive schedule for students and teachers report
stronger school climate and higher levels of creative and
dynamic achievement. Since these are at the heart of the
school's mission, and the focal point of strategic planning, we
have found ways to balance the schedule and calendar for
increased contact time with less interruptions.
Below, is a general outline that includes some important comparisons for these improvements,
and for our families´ planning purposes, the last page includes the calendar outline. Once the
sections and the APM complete their event calendars for the year, we will post the complete
calendar online.
I want to extend a special thank you to the academic administration
and the faculty for supporting these changes and for keeping the
interest of the CAG child at the heart of all decisions.
As always, should you have any questions or concerns about
these changes, please feel free to contact my office or email
me at pmarshall@cag.edu.gt
In the tradition of Maroon and Gray,
Patricia Lee Marshall
General Director

INSTRUCTIONAL
HOURS
2017-2018 2018-2019
Daily Schedule Pre K:
12:00pm (Mon.-Fri.)
K-5:
2:00pm (Mon.-Fri.)
6-12:
2:00pm (Mon., Tues., Fri.)
3:00pm (Wed. and Thurs.)
Pre K:
12:00pm (Mon.-Fri.)
K-12:
2:00pm (Mon.-Fri.)
Total School Days
Full Days
Half Days
180 Days Planned
(179 Actual)
K - 5th: 164 Days
6 - 12: 161 Days
K - 5: 16 Half Days
6 -12: 19 Half Days
186 Days Planned
K - 5th: 180 Days
6 - 12: 182 Days
K - 5: 6 Half Days
6 -12: 4 Half Days
Total Annual Instructional
Hours
(180 Days, half/full
calculations)
Pre-K: 810
K-5: 1138
6-12: 1196.5
(186 Days, half/full
calculations)
Pre-K: 837 (186 Days)
K-5 1197
6-12: 1201
THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF GUATEMALA
2018 - 2019 CALENDAR OUTLINE
Pre-K: 7:30am-12:00pm
K-12 School Schedule: 7:30am-2:00pm
Total School Days 2018-2019: 186
(Ministry of Education Requires 180)
Full Days EC/ES:
Half Days EC/ES:
Full Days MS/HS:
Half Days MS/HS:
Trimester 1, (Aug. 2-Nov. 9)
Trimester 2, (Nov. 12-March 1)
Trimester 3, (March 5-June 6)
180
6
182
4
63
62
61

2018 - 2019 CALENDAR OUTLINE
WE HAVE ADJUSTED VACATION TIME TO BETTER SUPPORT THE RHYTHMS OF THE
SCHOOL AND THE TRAVEL PATTERNS OF OUR CAG COMMUNITY.
21 School Days
A U G
THURSDAY, 2 OPENING DAY EC & ES Half Day, MS & HS Full Day
FRIDAY, 3
EC & ES Half Day, MS & HS Full Day
WEDNESDAY, 15 SCHOOL CLOSED Holiday
19 School Days
S E P
FRIDAY, 14
NO CLASSES
18 School Days
O C T
MONDAY, 14
TO FRIDAY, 19
NO CLASSES
Fall Recess
18 School Days
N O V
THU, 1 - FRI, 2 NO CLASSES
Holiday
FRIDAY, 9 HALF DAY ALL SCHOOL
End Trimester One
THU, 22 - FRI, 23 SCHOOL CLOSED Thanksgiving Break
9 School Days
D E C
THURSDAY, 13
FRIDAY, 14
TO MONDAY, 31
HALF DAY ALL SCHOOL
SCHOOL CLOSED
Last Day, Noche de Luces
Winter Recess
19 School Days
J A N
TUE, 1 - WED, 2
THU, 3 - FRI, 4
MONDAY, 7
SCHOOL CLOSED
NO CLASSES
ALL STUDENTS RETURN
20 School Days
F E B
N O H O L I D A Y S & N O H A L F D A Y S

2018 - 2019 CALENDAR OUTLINE
20 School Days
M A R
FRIDAY, 1 HALF DAY ALL SCHOOL End of Trimester 2
MONDAY, 4
SCHOOL CLOSED
17 School Days
A P R
MONDAY, 14
TO FRIDAY, 19
SCHOOL CLOSED
Semana Santa/Spring Break
21 School Days
M A Y
WEDNESDAY, 1 SCHOOL CLOSED Holiday
FRIDAY, 10 SCHOOL CLOSED Holiday
4 School Days
J U N
THURSDAY, 6 HALF DAY ALL SCHOOL Last Day of Classes/End of School
FRIDAY, 7 CLASS OF 2019
GRADUATION

American School of Guatemala
http://www.cag.edu.gt/
11 calle 15-79 Zona 15 Vista Hermosa III Guatemala, Guatemala
(502) 25009595