The Oregon-Davis School Board members discussed moving to a balanced calendar Monday night, but did not take action.
Superintendent Greg Briles said the board is considering several factors before they settle on a calendar.
“We’re looking at student content retention and how it would be affected. We’re looking at student and staff burnout and student focus – how it would affect students if they had a couple of weeks off at this period of time in the year. We’re also thinking about student attendance overall and how a balanced calendar would have an affect on that. We are looking at all of those different avenues,” said Briles.
Oregon-Davis will work with the area schools in the vocational co-op to coordinate schedules.
When asked if a balanced calendar was a positive move for schools, Briles replied that the school board is attempting to gather all information possible to make the right decision for the students.
“We’re looking at any way possible to help our students with student growth. We have to find ways that encourage our students to do well. If it means taking a balanced calendar and giving them an opportunity to refresh themselves before they take a test or catch up on different things – if they’ve failed something and need some remediation on it and we can potentially provide that remediation in one way or another to make sure that our students are successful, we have to look at every opportunity available.”
Briles said some schools have shown growth with a balanced calendar.
The school board members were invited to attend a balanced calendar presentation on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. ET at the Culver High School auditorium where officials from the Rochester School Corporation will present their experiences with a balanced calendar format with the school officials and members of the general public. Anyone with questions about a balanced calendar are invited to attend the meeting.
The proposed calendar: 2015-2016 Coop Calendar
*Public Law 32 – Senate Enrolled Act 114 – Effective July 1, 2014 Excused absences from school for state fair activities
Adds IC 20-33-2-17.7 – Provides that the governing body of a school corporation or the chief administrative officer of a nonpublic school system shall authorize, for not more than five instructional days in a school year, the absence and excuse of each school student if the student or a member of the student’s household participates or exhibits in the state fair. Requires the student that will receive the excused absences to be in good academic standing, as determined by the school.
