The first day of school probably isn't the best day to miss, but that's what plenty of students in Ypsilanti experienced on Monday.
Holmes Elementary School and Ford Early Learning Center in Ypsilanti both started school last Monday, but roughly a third of students were absent.
Both schools have waivers from the state to start earlier than September as a part of the balanced calendar, which is more effective than longer summer vacations.
Yen Azzaro is with Ypsilanti Community Schools and she says the schools gave parents plenty of notice for the start of school.
"Communications were the same as they were last year," Azzaro says, "the principals would've sent out notice, there is a calendar available online, the newsletters went out before school started."
Azzaro says that the families and the schools have different feelings on starting class in August.
"Each family's approach to 'back to school' is going to be different. Some people feel as though August is still summer vacation," she says.
This is the third year of the balanced calendar for Holmes Elementary, and the second year for Ford Early Learning.
