Board Discusses School Calendar, No Changes Made

By Eliza Hallabeck

Speaking at the start of the Board of Education’s meeting on November 15, Vice Chair Debbie Leidlein asked for an addition to the agenda: discussion of the 2011-12 school calendar.

“The reason I brought this motion in,” Ms Leidlein explained, “is because of the unprecedented number of days we have had with regard to storm-related school closures.”

To bring more continuity to the children’s academic experience, Ms Leidlein asked the school board to consider changing the planned two-hour early release of students on December 2 for teacher professional development to a full-day of school.

Her motion failed at the end of the meeting in a 6-1 vote with only Ms Leidlein supporting the change.

Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson said removing the professional development time from the school calendar would set the schedule back to have outlines and programs completed by the end of the school year. She also said the two hours of professional development time is as important as two hours spent in the classroom for students.

“Special development days are too valuable,” said Dr Robinson, “and we have a schedule worked out. [Assistant Superintendent of Schools Linda Gejda] has everything prepared. We know the kinds of content we want to accomplish by the end of the year. If we are going to continue to work on instructional improvement, we gotta have the time to do it.”

Ms Leidlein also voiced her willingness to looking at other days in the calendar that could be made into an early release day for professional development. Changing December 2 to a full-day of school, Ms Leidlein said, would help get students back into the routine of attending school following the four-and-a-half-day break for Thanksgiving Day.

Board member David Nanavaty said the school board has already discussed the calendar, and decreased the number of professional learning community days in the district.

“I really think, in my opinion, enough is enough,” said Mr Nanavaty. “We committed ourselves to the [professional learning communities], either we do them or let’s just abolish them all. I think we are getting to the point where it is easy to look at [professional learning community days] and say let’s take them out.”

Voicing agreement with the school board having already taken away from professional learning community time, board member Richard Gaines said he feels the district deserves the time to have teachers meet for professional development.

Both Mr Gaines and board Chair William Hart said the calendar has already been adjusted to make up the time lost due to Winter Storm Alfred by extending the end of the school year in June.

Following Tropical Storm Irene, the Board of Education voted to have three of the four lost days made up during the week that was scheduled for February break. The break is now scheduled for February 20 and 21, and students will attend school February 22, 23, and 24. The last of the four lost days was moved to June 14, moving the last day of school one day.

After the October storm, the last day of school has been pushed back to June 21, with make-up days set in the event of snow or other weather-related school cancellations for June 22, April 20, April 19, April 18, April 17, and April 16 (in that order).

Ms Leidlein said she feels there is a difference between time spent in the classroom in December and time spent in the classroom in June.

Before the 6 to 1 vote against Ms Leidlein’s motion, Mr Hart said he has read strong evidence that professional development is the most cost-effective way for school districts to improve learning.