Board Questions Need for Days Off in November

After multiple discussions concerning additional snow days in the schedule, the board of education approved the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 —despite a short discussion about too many days off in November.

Board of education member Jeffrey Brookner said he believes there are too many days off figured in to the schedule for November, with four half days for conferences, two days off for the teacher’s convention and Thanksgiving at the end of the month.

“I am wondering how many teachers attend the conference on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9,” he said. “If there are a lot, OK, but otherwise November ends up being very chaotic.”

Brookner said he thinks the district needs those days so the students aren’t out of school for too long.

In addition, Brookner said, he wondered whether a full four days is necessary for conferences, and whether they can schedule fewer days for that.

But Cheryl Dyer, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said all four days are needed.

“I would say most of the primary school teachers say the only way to schedule all their 24 kids is to do the four days of conferences,” she said. “Some teachers don’t have full days of conferences because they come in early to accommodate people who work.”

“But these conferences are a means of communication because there are no report cards then,” she added.

And Superintendent of Schools Michael Schilder said he would not recommend eliminating the time off for Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 teacher conventions.

“It’s an unknown how many go, but they’re guaranteed by law to be able to go,” he said. “It is more efficient for the district to just close.”

The board of education proceeded to approve the calendars, which also include provisions for what days to be eliminated from the calendar if more than the allotted snow days are needed by the end of January.