At the late-March meeting of the Cannon Falls School Board, they approved the school-year calendar for next year, including a two-week early start to the year and a two-week early end. In normal years, Cannon Falls kicks off the school year on the Tuesday following Labor Day. However, with the passage of the 2022 referendum in the school district, they are making time to accommodate for construction that will take place in the summer of 2023. 

At the meeting, the school board voted unanimously in favor of this proposed schedule: high school and middle school students starting the year on August 22, and elementary students starting on August 24. In 2023, students would be released for the year on May 18, two weeks earlier than usual. 

This schedule isn’t problem-free, however. With the drastic change, issues such as childcare and family trip conflicts can arise for some families in the district. It was emphasized by the school board that this rearrangement of the schedule is a temporary bother and that the construction crews will do their best to ensure that the work stays on schedule within the 2023 summer. 

Students have mixed opinions on the change in the schedule, such as sophomore Sara Auger: “I don’t like that we have a short summer but I am excited to have a long summer before my senior year.” Unfortunately, most current juniors will not benefit from the longer summer. Ava Brokate, on the other hand, has one incentive that makes the schedule change seem not as bad: “I think that it is very sad that we have a short summer this year but we get an earlier summer for the Humanities trip next year.” Despite the inconvenience, the long summer in 2023 has many students excited.

During the 2023 summer, the heating and cooling system at the high school building will be revamped and will meet air-code requirements for safety. Additionally, many changes will be made to one side of the school, near the shop and agriculture education classrooms. A new extension will be built on the school and classrooms will be moved around to simultaneously upgrade the shop areas and provide easier access for food service staff with deliveries. 

More improvements brought about by the referendum include regrading soil surrounding the high school and minor repairs to the roof of the building. This will help prevent flooding and water damage at the high school. 

Although the 2022 summer will be cut short by the schedule change, students can look forward to an extra-long break in the preceding the 2023-2024 school year.