CHARDON, Ohio — More than 500 signatures and counting are advocating for Chardon Local Schools to move the first day of classes from August to after Labor Day.
Genny Pavlick, a mother of three with two children in Chardon Local Schools, launched the petition as school board members consider adopting a 2027-2028 academic calendar that would have a first day of classes set for Aug. 18.
"With our Ohio weather, it makes a lot more sense to start after Labor Day," Pavlick said. "Being stuck in those old buildings in early August when it's sweltering hot outside is not really a great learning environment for our kids."
Nearby Cardinal Local Schools made the same shift this academic year, and Berkshire Local School District implemented the change the year before.
Part of the push coincides with the Geauga County Fair, which is typically held Labor Day weekend. The oldest fair in Ohio typically attracts around 300,000 people.
Geauga County Commissioner Jim Dvorak supports the later start date, particularly because it would eliminate conflicts with students having to often take excused absences to participate in activities such as 4-H.
"This is the biggest small business growth right here," Dvorak said. "You have a project with an animal, you buy the product, you do bookkeeping, what are you using for grain, you sell it and 95% of the kids that do sell their projects at the fair goes to a college. How can you dispute higher education and small business at the same time?"
Michael Hanlon, the Chardon superintendent, acknowledged in a statement and phone conversation with News 5 that there are "a number of sometimes competing factors" when preparing an academic calendar, including learning loss, state testing, sports, extracurricular activities and coordination with nearby non-public schools where they provide transportation.
"Schools districts work to thread the needle when considering these factors to develop an academic calendar that satisfies as many of these concerns as possible," he said in a statement. "The Chardon Board of Education values community feedback and will consider comment on the calendar proposal."
"Our focus is on starting the conversation and letting them know this is something we really really want as a community," Pavlick said.
The Chardon School Board is scheduled to hear public comment and adopt its proposed 2027 school year calendar next month.
Clay LePard is the Ashtabula, Geauga and Portage counties reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @ClayLePard, on Facebook ClayLePardTV or email him at Clay.LePard@wews.com.
