Board approves calendar item tied to hurricane make-up days after union concern about teacher workdays

The School District of Osceola County board on July 29 approved agenda item 13.01, a modification to the 2025–26 calendar related to hurricane makeup days and teacher workdays.

Janet Moody, president of the Osceola County Education Association, told the board the teachers’ contract specifies that teachers are provided a workday at the end of each quarter and cautioned that converting planned workdays into hurricane makeup days could infringe on contract rights. Moody said the district should not assume that converting those days would eliminate teachers’ contractual work-day entitlements.

District staff and General Counsel/administration (presenter identified in the record as Dr. Allen) responded that the current contract does permit emergency makeup days to be placed on teacher workdays and that the calendar already includes two built-in makeup days (sufficient, staff said, to cover two storm make-ups under the current minute-mandate calculation). Dr. Allen said the year’s total instructional minutes provide for two makeup days; beyond that, the district would consider using workshop days to preserve other breaks when possible.

After discussion, board member Teresa Castillo moved to approve item 13.01; the motion was seconded by Resaida Garcia. The motion passed on a voice vote. The board recorded no amendment to contract language at the meeting and directed staff to proceed with the calendar modification as presented.