SALISBURY — A new calendar is set for the 2018-19 school year.

After receiving feedback from faculty, staff members and parents, the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education on Monday approved a calendar that embodied compromise.

The 2018-19 school year will have 177 student days, a two-week winter break, an April spring break and three early-release days. There will also be two required teacher workdays — Nov. 6 and Dec. 4.

The November workday — which falls on Election Day — was requested by staff members, Human Resources Director Kristi Rhone said.

“Due to just school safety, they wanted to see if we could consider that,” Rhone said.

Staff, students and parents also requested a later spring break. The 2019 break will run April 19-26.

However, one request just wasn’t possible.

“We got a lot of feedback about the exams piece happening before Christmas,” Rhone said.

School administrators hoped to move exams before Christmas to avoid possible bad weather that often arises in January. Because of a state-mandated start date, staff members warned that moving exams before Christmas would mean a shorter fall semester.

“If that were to happen, the two semesters would not be even — not even close to even,” Rhone said.

The gap between a 78-day fall semester and a 100-day spring semester was considered too great. Instead, Rhone said board members should talk to state legislators if they want to have exams before Christmas.

“We would like for you to strongly advocate for an early start,” she said.

Superintendent Lynn Moody said she and her staff feel good about the calendar.

“We think we’ve resolved every issue you’ve brought up, our people have brought up about the calendar,” she said.

Board Chairman Josh Wagner said the board may want to consider resending a resolution to the state about local calendar control.

The calendar was passed unanimously.

Contact reporter Rebecca Rider at 704-797-4264.