FARMINGTON – Regional School Unit 9 directors Tuesday approved the 2016-17 calendar that sets the first day of school for students in kindergarten through grade nine on Aug. 31.

Students in grades 10 through 12 will start Sept. 1. It is followed by a day off for all students on Sept. 2, allowing a four-day holiday weekend for Labor Day, which is on Sept. 5.

The first day of school for teachers will be Aug. 29. That day and Aug. 30 are slated as teacher workshops, as is Oct. 7, which will be a day off for students. That also creates a four-day weekend with Oct. 10 being Columbus Day

The calendar has 35 late-arrival Wednesdays built in for educators to continue professional development. Students will start school an hour later than normal on those days. There are 32 late-arrival days in this year’s calendar.

The first late-arrival day for 2016-17 is Sept. 7. There are also two early-release days for students in pre-kindergarten through grade five on Dec. 2 and March 3, 2017. A districtwide early-release day is scheduled for Sept. 21 during the week of the Farmington Fair.

The last day of school is tentatively set for June 9, 2017. It could change if there are snow days to be made up.

The date of Mt. Blue High School graduation is not listed on the calendar.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net