NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—The new school year for New Brunswick students is set to begin on September 3, and the district’s 2015-2016 schedule plans for all schools to be open for 180 days, in accordance with state law.

The schedule includes a nine days off for the winter holiday season, and an eight-day long Spring Break, as well as days off for Labor Day, Columbus Day, Election Day, Veteran’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, and two Jewish holidays.

Four-day weekends correspond with the annual New Jersey Education Association conference, Thanksgiving, President’s Day Weekend.  

Three extra days are factored in to compensate for weather-related emergency closings.

If the emergency closings are used, the last day of school for students will be June 24 and June 27 for teachers, instead of June 21 and June 22.

The district budget predicted there would be 8,100 students enrolled as fulltime regular students in the New Brunswick school district, and 1,243 students enrolled as fulltime, special education students.

Roughly 1,500 students who live in the district will be attending schools outside of the city’s public school system, either through out-of-district public schools, private school programs, state facilities, or special education programs in other districts.

This year, students and staff will be under the leadership of the newly hired Superintendent Aubrey Johnson, who replaced outgoing superintendent Richard Kaplan on July 1.

Johnson, a former Paterson school official, will earn $177,500 per year during his three-year contract.

Johnson served in various posts in the state-controlled Paterson school district during his time there, including the assistant superintendent, and led an “Innovation Zone” program that was widely regarded.

The 2015-2016 year calendar is as follows: 

Sept. 3: First day of school – early dismissal 
Sept. 4: Early dismissal 
Sept. 7: Labor Day – schools closed
Sept. 14-15: Ro
sh Hashanah – schools closed
Sept. 23: Yom Kippur – schools closed 
Oct. 12: Columbus Day – schools closed
Nov. 3: Election Day – schools closed
Nov. 5, 6: NJEA (New Jersey Education Association Teachers Convention – schools closed
Nov. 11: Veteran’s Day – schools closed
Nov. 25: Early dismissal
Nov. 26 – 27: Thanksgiving Recess, schools closed
Dec. 23: Early dismissal
Dec. 24 – Jan. 1: Winter break schools closed
Jan. 18: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – schools closed 
Jan. 27: Professional Development – schools closed
Feb. 12-15: President’s Weekend – schools closed
March 25 – April 1: Spring Recess – schools closed
May 30: Memorial Day – schools closed
June 24: Last day of school for students
June 27: Last day for teachers

Early dismissals are scheduled for the following days: 

October 14, 15, 16
January 13, 14, 15
March 9, 10, 11

In addition, the New Brunswick Board of Education will hold its public meetings at New Brunswick High School, located at 1000 Somerset Street.  The meetings are held at 7 pm, in the auditorium on the following dates:

Sept. 22, 2015
Oct. 20, 2015
Nov. 17, 2015
Dec. 15, 2016
Jan. 19, 2016
Feb. 16, 2016
Mar. 15, 2016
April 19, 2016
May 10, 2016
June 21, 2016

Reporter at New Brunswick Today

Award-winning, multimedia journalist with experience in digital first and print-media. Daniel has covered local, state and regional issues, and utilized photography, social media and has written in-depth articles to produce high-quality work.

Award-winning, multimedia journalist with experience in digital first and print-media. Daniel has covered local, state and regional issues, and utilized photography, social media and has written in-depth articles to produce high-quality work.