Newton Public Schools will start on Sept. 2 this year, five days before Labor Day—and a few weeks before air conditioning will be available in many of the district’s school buildings.

The Newton Beacon, Newton Public Schools and Historic Newton were not able to independently confirm the last time the district started school before Labor Day, if ever, but the Newton Teachers’ Association told the Beacon they were not aware of NPS ever starting before Labor Day.

Labor Day falls on the first Monday of September, which this year is Sept. 7—the latest that is possible. Superintendent Anna Nolin said that an earlier school start date gives the district flexibility with making up potential snow days, and that AC installation will be in progress throughout late September. 

“If you have any snow days, you run the risk that you won’t be able to make up the days,” she said. “Otherwise, we’d have to do things like going to school in February break and April break, and that was a disaster when we tried to make up strike days back in [2024]. 

The Newton Teachers Association went on strike in January 2024 for 15 days.

Massachusetts public schools must provide 180 days of instruction before June 30, or face a citation from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Nolin said that teachers also cannot be paid for the previous school year once the following fiscal year starts on July 1, so NPS prioritizes finding a way to meet DESE requirements. 

In 1997, the Newton’s teachers union and the school committee first negotiated to allow school to start prior to Labor Day in years where Labor Day falls late in September and when all observed religious holidays fall on weekdays. The NTA told the Beacon that the union had negotiated to have the first two teacher days held before Labor Day, which was in practice until this year. 

Newton was hit with multiple snowstorms last winter, many of which left more than a foot of snow. 

“Because we had that big snowstorm, that kept us out a couple more days,” Nolin added. “This year summer felt shorter to people, so I think it’s controversial for that reason.” 

Many Newton families vacation during the Labor Day long weekend that typically precedes the start of school each year. 

Another concern about starting the school year early is the summer heat, as many of Newton’s older school buildings are not equipped with air conditioning. This issue was addressed at the school committee’s summer retreat last month, where members voted unanimously in favor of authorizing the city to install air conditioners in the classrooms and offices of the Bigelow, Bowen, Brown, Burr, Mason-Rice, Memorial Spaulding, Peirce, Underwood and Ward school buildings. Oak Hill Middle School was later added to the list.

Nolin said that the district expects air conditioners to arrive on Sept. 18, after which the Public Buildings Department will handle installation, in a process that could take a few weeks to complete.

“I am concerned, just given the contract wait time with the contractors, that we’re not going to have all of these ACs up and running,” she said. “I don’t want parents to assume that everything’s all set, but it’s all happening. The bids have been made. The construction tools have been contracted. The hardware has been bought. We know where it’s going.”

The cost of installation is estimated by the city to be $1.2 million, with an additional electricity cost of $25,000.

Nolin said she would bring up the delayed installation at the first school committee meeting of the year. Regular meetings that are open to the public will begin on Sept 14.