The Oxford School District is looking into ways to drastically shift their academic schedule.

During the fall semester of the upcoming 2019-20 school year, the district will form a committee to examine the possibility of a modified calendar.

In March, the Mississippi State Board of Education approved plans for OSD to hold the title of a District of Innovation. Part of Oxford’s initial application included a modified calendar for the 2022-23 school year. Those ideas and discussions are still in its infancy, per Oxford school superintendent Brian Harvey.

“(The modified calendar) is still in the concept stage and no progress has been made, nor will it be made until a committee makes the recommendation to move forward,” Harvey said in a statement. “We have no plans in place.”

The committee will be assembled to begin researching the impacts on current departments, processes and summer learning loss, which is the main argument in favor of a modified school calendar. Currently, Oxford has the conventional six-week summer break that begins in late May and runs through early August. The committee will also ask for input from teachers, parents and staff throughout the process.

Only one school district in Mississippi has a modified calendar. Corinth’s school district made the change in 2016 and just completed its third year under a modified school year, which allows for periodic breaks throughout the year instead of the typical summer break.

If the committee decides to work toward changing to a modified calendar, it will be presented to the Oxford School Board of Trustees during their regular December meeting. All of the OSD board meetings are open to the public and also streamed online.