The first day of school for Washington students for the 2015-2016 school year will be August 25th. The school board approved the proposed calendar at this week’s meeting.

However, in a letter sent by Governor Terry Branstad to Director Brad Buck of the Iowa Department of Education, requests that the department no longer grant waivers to the 1983 law which states school shall begin no earlier than a day in the calendar week in which the first day of September falls. In Branstad’s letter he writes, waivers should only be considered if school districts demonstrate that starting on or after the earliest start day would have a negative educational impact. If no waivers are permitted, the first day a public school may hold classes in Iowa is August 31st.

The final day on the board approved calendar would be May 26th, 2016. Superintendent Dr. Mike Jorgensen added that the district intends to continue operating by number of hours and not by number of days.