This flexible calendar was presented and discussed at last week’s Board of Education meeting.
It is now available for our community to review and provide feedback.
Please review the calendar, read all of the advantages and challenges, and speak with your family and friends. Click here to submit your feedback to the Board of Education.
Please note that there will be a public forum on Tuesday, October 16 from 5:00-6:00pm in the Board of Education room at Central Office for the public's feedback and input.
Facts of Flexible Calendar:
● Students have been participating in summer school opportunities and enrichment camps for years.
● Students have had the opportunity to learn year-round and educators have worked year round for years.
● According to the value-added studies, the teacher is the single most important factor in a student’s academic outcome. The principal is the second most important. So, we have to invest in both of these. Professional development days are how school districts invest in their teachers and leaders.
Advantages of Flexible Calendar:
● Allows for summer academic growth
○ During the summer, students are invited to summer school opportunities that provide academic growth in their areas of need
○ During the summer, students have the opportunity to attend various enrichment camps that extend learning in areas of interest
● Allows for guaranteed professional development opportunities during the school year. Often times professional development days are lost to snow make-up days.
● Allows flexibility for make-up days for inclement weather and avoiding negatively impacting holidays and professional development opportunities.
● Allows high school students to take exams before winter break removing opportunity for lost learning due to extended break.
● Allows alignment with the community college for students who are dual-enrolled and earning college credits while in high school.
● Allows for remediation to occur when it is most needed
● Fall break allows for:
○ K-8 students remediation opportunities
○ 9-12 students to participate in credit recovery opportunities
Challenges of Flexible Calendar:
● Public perception and initial understanding of the calendar
● 2019 summer will be shorter due to late end to school year for 2018-2019 and earlier start for 2019-2020. This will remedy itself in following years.
● Special attention and communication will need to occur between MACS and daycare facilities to ensure families have child care
● Need to plan processes effectively for the change