A school year is 180 days – 180 days spent accumulating knowledge that will eventually be put to the ultimate test in that a six-letter death word called “finals”.

The school board will decide on Tuesday night if the first semester finals will be moved  to before winter break by changing the school calendar so that the school year begins two weeks earlier and winter break divides the two semesters.

Encouraged by community members, the San Ramon Valley Unified School District began exploring the calendar change last school year.

The Californian supports this new schedule because it will create a more seamless transition between stressful semesters and actually provide students and teachers with a much-needed break before they come back ready for round two of the school year.

According to a draft released by the board, the proposed 2016-17 school year will start with an 85-day first semester that would end on a Dec. 21, a Wednesday. A 95-day second semester would start on Jan. 9 and end on June 1.

This year, the 90-day first semester ends on Jan. 22, 2016. The 90-day second semester ends on June 9.

If this new schedule is approved, students will no longer have to spend their winter “break” studying for finals.

But there is a catch to a study-free winter break for next school year. All teachers and students, excluding current seniors, will have their summer cut short  two weeks because school would start Aug.  15.

This potential schedule change will affect 35 schools in the district, including all six high schools.

The district conducted a survey last year regrading the schedule and found that a majority of students, teachers, and  parents who voted supported the proposed schedule.

According to the survey, 61 percent of those polled indicated it was of “high importance” to have no schoolwork over winter break. The survey also showed that 71.4 percent wanted first semester finals before winter break.

Though the idea of changing the school calendar has been  occasionally and casually considered in the past, students may be able to actually experience the age of a new dawn where winter break is an actual break from school.

So let’s please say goodbye to late night cram sessions and last minute panic attacks about finals during break.

They will be happily missed.