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Parents urge board to shift school start to avoid Midland County Fair; board says calendar change requires broader negotiation
Summary
Several 4-H parents asked the board to move the districtstart date to avoid conflict with the Midland County Fair; the board said it will gather data, consult partners and note that calendar changes require bargaining with staff.
Multiple parents and 4-H volunteers spoke to the Midland Public Schools board on Sept. 8 and asked the district to reconsider school start dates so students do not have to miss fair events at the Midland County Fair. Sarah Bennett, a 4-H leader and longtime county exhibitor, told the board the fair draws about 1,750 community members and involves roughly 900 exhibitors (about half school-age youth) and that many vendors and midway contracts are booked years in advance. "Holding the fair without vendors available would put the fairgrounds at risk," Bennett said, urging the district to align its calendar with the fair. Courtney Varner, a 4-H volunteer and parent, described childrenwho show horses and beef cattle needing to miss the first week of school to participate in weeklong fair activities and said 4-H participation teaches life, leadership and work skills. "We cannot afford to make it harder for our kids to participate in organizations like 4-H," Varner said. Board members responded that they had heard the concerns and are gathering data. Superintendent Miller Nelson and board leaders said the district had moved its calendar some years ago to allow semester breaks to fall with the Christmas break and that any calendar change affects the negotiated agreement with the teachers' union. "We heard you, and we're considering it," President Rausch said, adding the district had requested participation counts from the county 4-H office and would consult neighboring districts and stakeholders. Several speakers emphasized the long-term nature of the conflict: one speaker noted the ESA calendar draft for 2027 may also conflict with the fair, meaning the issue might recur. The board did not take action but directed staff to gather information, consult partners including the fair manager and other districts, and report back; any calendar change would require negotiation with represented staff and further public discussion.
