Editor's note: This story has been updated with a corrected quote from a board member.
MONROE - In the 2018-19 school calendar the Monroe school board approved Monday, there will be a change in how the district makes up inclement weather days.
Starting this school year and in effect for next school year, any time the district must make up due to inclement weather will be made up by extending the school day instead of adding days to the end of the year.
Monroe District Administrator Rick Waski said adding time on at the end of each day if needed is preferred by teachers and staff who work to set up summer school.
Waski said if there is only one day to make up, it would probably add five minutes or less to the school day. If there are a couple of days, he said it could add 10 to 15 minutes to the end of the school day.
The first day of school in 2018-19 for students in kindergarten through middle school and freshman at Monroe High School is Sept. 4. The first day of school for sophomores, juniors and seniors at the high school is Sept. 5. The final day of school next year is slated for June 6.
The district will continue to have spring break the final week of March. The board considered but didn't adopt another school calendar for next year that would have moved spring break to an extended weekend in April over the Easter holiday. It would have resulted in school getting out earlier on May 31.
In other action, the Monroe school board:
• Voted 8-1 to spend $13,000 to bring professional development provided by Solution Tree to all of the district's teachers during a two-day in-service Aug. 27 and 28. Tim Brown of Solution Tree will lead the two-day professional development in-service and be a keynote speaker Aug. 27. The district has 52 teachers attending a separate Solution Tree professional development workshop this summer at a discounted cost of $600 per teacher for a total of roughly $31,000.
Board member Cheryl McGuire questioned if the district needed to pay for both professional development opportunities or could just offer one. Board member Rich Deprez said the cost for the professional development by Solution Tree is 0.003 of a percent of the district's budget.
"If our administrative team says that this is what's good for their staff, do it," Deprez said. "We hold you accountable to meet the budget that we approve every year. You're free, I feel, to do what you need to do to meet that accountability. I don't think that we should be reviewing at length whether or not it makes sense to send 50 people now or bring somebody in later. I think that you guys should be able to do that without having to ask us to approve."
The district has a policy that any spending more than $10,000 needs board approval. Waski said the board will look at its policies and may want to change that threshold for when board approval is required.
• Approved the retirement of Cathy Timm, the district's curriculum assistant and director of human resources. Most of Timm's time was spent working as the district's data specialist who enters all student records on the management software Skyward, including state assessments and ACT and test scores. She also monitors teacher's licenses and ensures teachers in the district are meeting state requirements.
She will be leaving in April, and the district plans to shift her job duties to others until they hire a data specialist.
"She will be tough to replace," Waski said. "It's a big void for us to fill. This will be a challenge for us to find the right skill set."
• Approved a Monroe softball team trip to Florida this spring to play four games and practice three times at Disney's softball spring training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports and the spring training facility of the Atlanta Braves.
The varsity softball team will leave March 27 and return to Monroe April 2. The cost of the trip is $1,200 per player and coach. The softball team fundraises about half the cost of the trip, and the players are responsible for the other half.
• Edited five value statements that came from the community forum during which the district developed goals to target for the next five to seven years. The five value statements the district selected to use in developing goals are as follows:
Our district values school and community partnerships that provide and sustain opportunities which help our students become valuable contributing members of our local and global economy.
Our district values the social and emotional well being of our students and staff while promoting the life and employability skills necessary to be successful in a global economy.
Our district values academic growth and achievement through engaging and rigorous curriculum which offers diverse educational opportunities for all students.
Our district values creating and maintaining a supportive and professional work environment in order to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective staff.
Our district values the creation of flexible short and long-term plans to ensure students and staff have access to facilities which provide optimal learning and working environments.
• Drew lots for the upcoming school board election April 3. School board member Mary Berger's name will appear first on the ballot, and board member Amy Bazley's will appear second. Both are seeking re-election.
There are three seats for the school board up for election. Bob Erb, current school board president, filed non-candidacy papers and is not seeking re-election. A third school board member will be elected as a write-in. A write-in candidate can file candidacy papers at the district's administrative center. Voters must spell the name of a write-in candidate correctly for their vote to count.
MONROE - In the 2018-19 school calendar the Monroe school board approved Monday, there will be a change in how the district makes up inclement weather days.
Starting this school year and in effect for next school year, any time the district must make up due to inclement weather will be made up by extending the school day instead of adding days to the end of the year.
Monroe District Administrator Rick Waski said adding time on at the end of each day if needed is preferred by teachers and staff who work to set up summer school.
Waski said if there is only one day to make up, it would probably add five minutes or less to the school day. If there are a couple of days, he said it could add 10 to 15 minutes to the end of the school day.
The first day of school in 2018-19 for students in kindergarten through middle school and freshman at Monroe High School is Sept. 4. The first day of school for sophomores, juniors and seniors at the high school is Sept. 5. The final day of school next year is slated for June 6.
The district will continue to have spring break the final week of March. The board considered but didn't adopt another school calendar for next year that would have moved spring break to an extended weekend in April over the Easter holiday. It would have resulted in school getting out earlier on May 31.
In other action, the Monroe school board:
• Voted 8-1 to spend $13,000 to bring professional development provided by Solution Tree to all of the district's teachers during a two-day in-service Aug. 27 and 28. Tim Brown of Solution Tree will lead the two-day professional development in-service and be a keynote speaker Aug. 27. The district has 52 teachers attending a separate Solution Tree professional development workshop this summer at a discounted cost of $600 per teacher for a total of roughly $31,000.
Board member Cheryl McGuire questioned if the district needed to pay for both professional development opportunities or could just offer one. Board member Rich Deprez said the cost for the professional development by Solution Tree is 0.003 of a percent of the district's budget.
"If our administrative team says that this is what's good for their staff, do it," Deprez said. "We hold you accountable to meet the budget that we approve every year. You're free, I feel, to do what you need to do to meet that accountability. I don't think that we should be reviewing at length whether or not it makes sense to send 50 people now or bring somebody in later. I think that you guys should be able to do that without having to ask us to approve."
The district has a policy that any spending more than $10,000 needs board approval. Waski said the board will look at its policies and may want to change that threshold for when board approval is required.
• Approved the retirement of Cathy Timm, the district's curriculum assistant and director of human resources. Most of Timm's time was spent working as the district's data specialist who enters all student records on the management software Skyward, including state assessments and ACT and test scores. She also monitors teacher's licenses and ensures teachers in the district are meeting state requirements.
She will be leaving in April, and the district plans to shift her job duties to others until they hire a data specialist.
"She will be tough to replace," Waski said. "It's a big void for us to fill. This will be a challenge for us to find the right skill set."
• Approved a Monroe softball team trip to Florida this spring to play four games and practice three times at Disney's softball spring training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports and the spring training facility of the Atlanta Braves.
The varsity softball team will leave March 27 and return to Monroe April 2. The cost of the trip is $1,200 per player and coach. The softball team fundraises about half the cost of the trip, and the players are responsible for the other half.
• Edited five value statements that came from the community forum during which the district developed goals to target for the next five to seven years. The five value statements the district selected to use in developing goals are as follows:
Our district values school and community partnerships that provide and sustain opportunities which help our students become valuable contributing members of our local and global economy.
Our district values the social and emotional well being of our students and staff while promoting the life and employability skills necessary to be successful in a global economy.
Our district values academic growth and achievement through engaging and rigorous curriculum which offers diverse educational opportunities for all students.
Our district values creating and maintaining a supportive and professional work environment in order to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective staff.
Our district values the creation of flexible short and long-term plans to ensure students and staff have access to facilities which provide optimal learning and working environments.
• Drew lots for the upcoming school board election April 3. School board member Mary Berger's name will appear first on the ballot, and board member Amy Bazley's will appear second. Both are seeking re-election.
There are three seats for the school board up for election. Bob Erb, current school board president, filed non-candidacy papers and is not seeking re-election. A third school board member will be elected as a write-in. A write-in candidate can file candidacy papers at the district's administrative center. Voters must spell the name of a write-in candidate correctly for their vote to count.