The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE

Media Contact: Sari Krosinsky, (505) 277-1593, michal@unm.edu

November 25, 2008

UNM, APS Align Spring Break

For the first time, the University of New Mexico and Albuquerque Public Schools will align spring break on March 15-19, 2010. The APS Board of Education approved the new schedule today.

UNM’s Staff Council has advocated for the spring break alignment since 2004, to benefit UNM students, staff and faculty with children attending APS. “It means so much to so many families to be able to spend the time together,” said Laurie Mellas, executive director of the UNM Parent Association and UNM representative on APS’s calendar committee.

Bob Woody, chair of the APS calendar committee, said that aligning the breaks was previously prevented by standardized tests administered at the same time as UNM’s break in March. Those tests have now been moved to April, opening the opportunity for alignment.

Earlier this semester, UNM, APS and Central New Mexico Community College signed an agreement which, in addition to creating a seamless educational experience from kindergarten through graduate school, would explore aligning the calendars of all three.

The calendars are scheduled on an annual basis. “We’ll have to be at the table every year to ensure alignment continues,” Mellas said.