Tippy Valley School Board Considers Calendars
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
It will vote on approving the master calendar at its April 15 meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Akron Elementary School.
Option 1 had the first student day scheduled on Aug. 16, Christmas vacation Dec. 21 to Jan. 5, spring break April 5-13, last student day May 29 and graduation June 1. It has three emergency makeup days.
Option 2 had the first student day set for Aug. 9, Christmas vacation Dec. 21-Jan. 5, spring break April 5-13, last student day May 22 and graduation June 1. It has eight emergency makeup days.
Option 3 established the first student day as Aug. 9, Christmas vacation Dec. 21-Jan. 5, spring break April 5-13, last student day May 22 and graduation June 1. It has eight emergency makeup days.
Option 4 had students starting Aug. 16, Christmas vacation Dec. 21-Jan. 5, spring break April 5-13, last student day June 2 and graduation June 8. It has eight emergency makeup days.
The reason Options 2 and 3 have starting dates a week earlier than this year, Boggs said, is because the building principals feel having that week on the front end of the school calendar will make a difference and he supports that.
Board member Mark Wise said he took issue with that. He said it would not improve education, just test scores.
When Valley is being compared to other schools based on test scores, that week becomes important, Boggs fired back.
One parent said the problem with moving school start day back a week is the huge impact it will have in the community on things like the 4-H State Fair.
“This is an agricultural community and there’s a lot of kids involved in that,” she said. “They’ve already backed up the state fair as far back as they can.”
Julie Canada said the kids in 4-H really deserve that opportunity. She read a list of other school corporations’ start and end dates, then said she didn’t see a reason Valley needed to start a week earlier.
Pam Brower said starting a week earlier would affect her family’s summer time together.
“The reason I brought it up is that I hope people in this building respect our building principals. When they tell me it would be good to start a week earlier, I listen to that and take that into consideration,” Boggs said.
Wise asked if it was just the building principals’ opinion. Boggs said it was based on their years of experience.
Mentone Principal Angie Miller said the administration team discussed it. Having that earlier starting time – before testing – would have a bigger impact than if that week were after testing, she said.
Also, she said, the third nine weeks was the longest of them all. By moving the calendar up a week, she said that would even up the nine weeks.
Student Representative Ben Shriver said having the first semester end at Christmas break was good from the students’ perspective.
Boggs said 60 of the members of the teachers association voted on the four options. Of those, 33 voted for option 1, six for option 2 and 13 for option 3. After meeting last week with the teachers association, that created option 4.
The state requires a minimum of 180 school days. Valley has 182 in its calendar.
Wise said he liked option 1 and would be OK with having only four emergency makeup days.
After further discussion, Board President Bryan Murphy said, “What we’re looking for, I guess, is option 5.”
Option 5 then became for the school year to start Aug. 16; elimination of the Good Friday and May 23 snow makeup days; and the last student day to be May 29, or May 30 if a snow makeup day is needed. Graduation would be June 7 or 8.
“Make graduation day permanent (Saturday or Sunday) and make people work around it,” Shriver said.
Murphy said the board will then look at approving Option 5 at its April 15 meeting.
Canada said she appreciated the board listening and considering the parents’ input.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a 10-year extension of the forestland management agreement with Pike Lumber Company.
On Jan. 21, 2008, Valley entered into a five-year agreement with Pike for the 20-acre forest Valley owns south and west of the high school. The agreement indicates Pike shall assume full management of the forestland and timber.
The agreement expired Jan. 21 this year, and Pike proposed extending the agreement for an additional 10 years.
• Approved the senior trip for April 22-27, 2014, to Gettysburg, Pa., and Washington, D.C. Juniors will begin paying deposits this May.
• Announced upcoming meetings will be April 15, Akron Elementary; May 13, Mentone Elementary; June 10, administration office, all at 6:30 p.m.
[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
It will vote on approving the master calendar at its April 15 meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Akron Elementary School.
Option 1 had the first student day scheduled on Aug. 16, Christmas vacation Dec. 21 to Jan. 5, spring break April 5-13, last student day May 29 and graduation June 1. It has three emergency makeup days.
Option 2 had the first student day set for Aug. 9, Christmas vacation Dec. 21-Jan. 5, spring break April 5-13, last student day May 22 and graduation June 1. It has eight emergency makeup days.
Option 3 established the first student day as Aug. 9, Christmas vacation Dec. 21-Jan. 5, spring break April 5-13, last student day May 22 and graduation June 1. It has eight emergency makeup days.
Option 4 had students starting Aug. 16, Christmas vacation Dec. 21-Jan. 5, spring break April 5-13, last student day June 2 and graduation June 8. It has eight emergency makeup days.
The reason Options 2 and 3 have starting dates a week earlier than this year, Boggs said, is because the building principals feel having that week on the front end of the school calendar will make a difference and he supports that.
Board member Mark Wise said he took issue with that. He said it would not improve education, just test scores.
When Valley is being compared to other schools based on test scores, that week becomes important, Boggs fired back.
One parent said the problem with moving school start day back a week is the huge impact it will have in the community on things like the 4-H State Fair.
“This is an agricultural community and there’s a lot of kids involved in that,” she said. “They’ve already backed up the state fair as far back as they can.”
Julie Canada said the kids in 4-H really deserve that opportunity. She read a list of other school corporations’ start and end dates, then said she didn’t see a reason Valley needed to start a week earlier.
Pam Brower said starting a week earlier would affect her family’s summer time together.
“The reason I brought it up is that I hope people in this building respect our building principals. When they tell me it would be good to start a week earlier, I listen to that and take that into consideration,” Boggs said.
Wise asked if it was just the building principals’ opinion. Boggs said it was based on their years of experience.
Mentone Principal Angie Miller said the administration team discussed it. Having that earlier starting time – before testing – would have a bigger impact than if that week were after testing, she said.
Also, she said, the third nine weeks was the longest of them all. By moving the calendar up a week, she said that would even up the nine weeks.
Student Representative Ben Shriver said having the first semester end at Christmas break was good from the students’ perspective.
Boggs said 60 of the members of the teachers association voted on the four options. Of those, 33 voted for option 1, six for option 2 and 13 for option 3. After meeting last week with the teachers association, that created option 4.
The state requires a minimum of 180 school days. Valley has 182 in its calendar.
Wise said he liked option 1 and would be OK with having only four emergency makeup days.
After further discussion, Board President Bryan Murphy said, “What we’re looking for, I guess, is option 5.”
Option 5 then became for the school year to start Aug. 16; elimination of the Good Friday and May 23 snow makeup days; and the last student day to be May 29, or May 30 if a snow makeup day is needed. Graduation would be June 7 or 8.
“Make graduation day permanent (Saturday or Sunday) and make people work around it,” Shriver said.
Murphy said the board will then look at approving Option 5 at its April 15 meeting.
Canada said she appreciated the board listening and considering the parents’ input.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a 10-year extension of the forestland management agreement with Pike Lumber Company.
On Jan. 21, 2008, Valley entered into a five-year agreement with Pike for the 20-acre forest Valley owns south and west of the high school. The agreement indicates Pike shall assume full management of the forestland and timber.
The agreement expired Jan. 21 this year, and Pike proposed extending the agreement for an additional 10 years.
• Approved the senior trip for April 22-27, 2014, to Gettysburg, Pa., and Washington, D.C. Juniors will begin paying deposits this May.
• Announced upcoming meetings will be April 15, Akron Elementary; May 13, Mentone Elementary; June 10, administration office, all at 6:30 p.m.
[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092