A calendar marks the first day of school, the earliest possible date in accordance with a new Missouri mandate. Because this decision was made with regard to summer tourism instead of to students and school staff, it has been a source of controversy in the state. (Photo by Aidyn Gleason)
CALENDAR IS APPROVED
The FHSD Calendar Committee released the finalized calendar for the 2020-2021 school year after a final vote at the end of December. The 2020-2021 school year is set to begin in late August which is the earliest possible date
by Justin Brewer
“Basically with this whole calendar they’re just shifting everything two weeks from what it originally was,” Smith said. fter taking in the input of community members as well as many other The idea of completely changing the school calendar received mixed emotions things the committee decided on a calendar in a board meeting that from the public and while it seems that they didn’t, the public had a strong input contains some of these key points. Unlike past years when school has into the final decision. A series of surveys and questionnaires were sent out to the started on a Thursday, the first day of school will be on Monday, Aug. 24. Fall public, giving parents and the community the opportunity to provide their input break will still happen and it will still be a full week. Final exams, which have in and opinions. These surveys had a very effective impact on the calendar and its the past occurred the last week before winter break, will be given when students inner-workings. Surveys usually consisted of questions asking the community return from break. However, they won’t be given the first week students return, what, on the old calendar, they thought was most important to them. According they will be taken in mid January. This gives students a week to review and to the board the results of the surveys had 80% approval for the calendar, prepare for finals. Spring break would be a universal spring break meaning that meaning that 80% of people approved of and agreed with the calendar proposed. most districts would the same week of spring break. Another “At Francis Howell we never do work like this without key detail is the last day of school. As opposed to it being in committees and this version of the calendar actually had, in the mid May, it is scheduled for Friday, May 28. However, if snow survey work, over 80% approval which is tough to get that many days occur, the last days of school could go into June. These people to approve,” Chief Communication Officer Matt Deichman Check out the full are just a few of the key points that this new calendar will said. The reason for reorganizing the school calendar is due to calendar here: entail. the government passing a bill into law. Prior to the new law, bit.ly/NSnewcalendar “I will say I feel like the district did a really good job kind of the FHSD school district had already approved a calendar that listening to everybody’s input and not just kind of coming up reflected every other years calendar. However, in July, a Missouri with their own thing, which I think for some people was the legislature changed the law regarding the start date of Missouri perception,” FHN Counselor and Committee member Lorraine Smith said. school districts. It stated that school districts could not start 10 days before the Half way through 2019, Missouri Governor, Mike Parsons, signed the bill into law first Monday in September. that mandates that Missouri schools can not begin classes earlier than 10 days “No, I mean we made the best decision we could with the parameters that our before Labor Day. Calendar committees, consisting of both students and school state government put on us,” FHSD Board of Education Director Michelle Walker administrators, have met to decide, plan and vote on what that calendar might said. “No, I am not exactly happy with it. I would like to be able to let our local look like. educators decide what’s best for students.”
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FHNTODAY.COM | 01.15.20 | NEWS
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