MONROE - Working parents, your life just got a little easier: The Monroe school district is eliminating early release inservice days for the 2009-2010 school calendar, opting instead to hold full-day staff development days.
The shift away from early-release days should make it easier for parents who must schedule daycare, said Jennifer Thayer, director of curriculum and instruction for the district.
The district otherwise would have been looking at having seven early-release days, five for staff development and two preceding holidays, next year. "That's a lot for parents" who need to make daycare arrangements for the occasional early-release day, she said.
For teachers, having the full-day inservices also will be an advantage, she said.
The school board Monday approved the calendar, which already has earned approval by the teachers' union.
The students' first day of school will be Tuesday, Sept. 1. School is scheduled to end Thursday, June 3, with June 4, 7 and 8 scheduled as make-up days for inclement weather.
All-day inservice days will be Friday, Oct. 2, and Friday, Jan. 29. Students also will have off Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30, the dates of the statewide teachers convention. Friday, Feb. 26 also is scheduled as a teachers convention day.
The only two early-release days will be immediately proceeding holidays: Wednesday, Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday, and Wednesday, Dec. 23 for Christmas break. Classes will resume Monday, Jan. 4.
The district will need to get a waiver from the state Department of Public Instruction because the change from early-release days to full-day inservices will result in 177 instructional days instead of the required 180. Thayer said early indication from the DPI is the waiver won't be a problem to obtain.
Spring break is scheduled from Monday, March 29 through Friday, April 2.
The shift away from early-release days should make it easier for parents who must schedule daycare, said Jennifer Thayer, director of curriculum and instruction for the district.
The district otherwise would have been looking at having seven early-release days, five for staff development and two preceding holidays, next year. "That's a lot for parents" who need to make daycare arrangements for the occasional early-release day, she said.
For teachers, having the full-day inservices also will be an advantage, she said.
The school board Monday approved the calendar, which already has earned approval by the teachers' union.
The students' first day of school will be Tuesday, Sept. 1. School is scheduled to end Thursday, June 3, with June 4, 7 and 8 scheduled as make-up days for inclement weather.
All-day inservice days will be Friday, Oct. 2, and Friday, Jan. 29. Students also will have off Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30, the dates of the statewide teachers convention. Friday, Feb. 26 also is scheduled as a teachers convention day.
The only two early-release days will be immediately proceeding holidays: Wednesday, Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday, and Wednesday, Dec. 23 for Christmas break. Classes will resume Monday, Jan. 4.
The district will need to get a waiver from the state Department of Public Instruction because the change from early-release days to full-day inservices will result in 177 instructional days instead of the required 180. Thayer said early indication from the DPI is the waiver won't be a problem to obtain.
Spring break is scheduled from Monday, March 29 through Friday, April 2.