St. Ignatius School Board sets calendar for next year
Megan Strickland
Superintendent Bob Lewandowski tells St. Ignatius school board members about their options for creating next year’s school calendar.
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ST. IGNATIUS – The St. Ignatius School Board voted to instate a calendar for the upcoming school year that was almost least popular among a community vote, but will save the school approximately $800 compared to the last school year.
In a 3-2 vote the board voted to institute a school year that begins on Aug. 31 and ends on June 3. It has one snow day, two Culminating Event Days, eight school improvement Fridays, 15 winter break days and six spring break days. It has 141 full days, 20 part days and nine half days. There are 180 professional days and 10 pupil instruction related days.
The approved calendar received 13 votes from 111 members of the school’s community who weighed in on which calendar they liked best. Another similar calendar received 11 votes. A third calendar received 30 votes. The most popular calendar amongst community members was the one proposed by the teacher’s union, with 57 votes.
In the union calendar school would begin on Aug. 31 and end on May 27. It suggested three school improvement Fridays, eight winter break days and three spring break days. It included 142 full days, 28 part days, and four half days. There were 182 professional days and eight pupil instruction review days. School officials projected the calendar would cost just under $19,500 more than the current year’s calendar.
“We are here, number one, for the kids,” boardmember Jeff Evans said as the board weighed the options. “More time in the classroom is optimal, but we still have to pay for it, and that is my only point of concern. If it wasn’t for the students none of us would be here anyway, so what are the students going to get out of the deal? Without the cost involved, who is going to benefit the most out of which calendar? … If our job is to educate the kids, then we need to find a way to pay for it.”
Superintendent Bob Lewandowski advocated for a calendar with pupil instruction review days.
“The 10 PIR days speak very strongly to research and providing best instruction for kids,” Lewandowski said. “Those are very important days in providing a focus on learning – the best focus we can provide.”
Individual board members did not comment further on the reasoning behind their votes.
