HEA

Yesterday, a team comprised of teachers, classified staff, and administration from all three buildings and the district office met to go over options for how to make up the nine snow days we have accumulated (pun intended) so far this year.  I’m writing this letter at the request of the group.

What we knew going into the meeting was that the district’s two previously-announced snow makeup days (Friday, February 17 and Friday, June 16) would remain on the calendar.  What was up for discussion was how to make up the remaining days.  According to the certificated contract, snow days are supposed to be tacked onto the end of the year.  However, doing so this year would give us an ending date of June 27, which was not popular among the group for a variety of reasons.

The group came up with two options we would like to present to the entire staff for a vote.

Option A:  Add 30 minutes to every school day between January 30 and May 26.  15 minutes would be added to the beginning and end of each school day.  For certificated staff, this would increase your normal work day from 7.5 to 8 hours.

Option B:  Make Friday, January 27 a normal school day and add 20 minutes to every school day between January 30 and May 26.  The 20 minutes would only be added to the end of the school day.  Staff and admin in each building would mutually agree on when report cards would be due.

Voting will take place TODAY in a staff meeting immediately after school.  You can print a ballot (attached to the email that was sent out) and bring it to the meeting or you can pick up a paper ballot at the meeting.  For staff members who are not on campus at the end of the school day you can pick up a ballot from your building rep or print one and drop it off with them.  Votes will be tabulated by each bargaining unit separately according to their organization’s policies and procedures.

Naturally, this is a unique and complicated issue that we don’t face often in our neck of the woods.  State-mandated minimum attendance laws, funding issues, employee contracts, construction schedules at the middle school, graduation requirements for seniors, and many other factors (not least of which is providing a solid education to our students) contributed to the difficulty of coming up with a solution.  There will be no perfect fit, and no guarantee that 100% of people will be happy with the decision.  Please also keep in mind that whatever option we decide on will need to be adjusted if we have any additional school cancellations.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me back or talk to any of your building reps or administration.  We will also be available to answer any questions at the various building meetings after school.

Thanks!