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Parents of Cook School students urge board to rethink calendar changes, cite 17 half days and shorter summer session
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Summary
Multiple parents and caregivers told the board that a calendar with 17 half days and a shortened summer program will disrupt routines and place significant care and work burdens on families of Cook School students with complex needs.
Parents and caregivers of Cook School students used public comment at the Northville Public Schools board meeting Tuesday to request changes to the school calendar, saying the 2024–25 schedule’s 17 half days and a shorter summer program cause hardship for students with significant disabilities and their families.
"Half days with children with special needs are very difficult," said Dawn Trimbath, who identified herself as the parent of a 23‑year‑old Cook student. She asked the board to consider the effect on families who rely on consistent routines and who must arrange care around abbreviated days.
Another parent, Bisan (spelling in transcript: Hassan) Hussein, said a letter from Cook families sent to the board on May 1 and signed by more than 100 people had not yet received a response. Hussein told board members the half days were placed on days when students usually have classroom parties such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day and that the schedule changes can cause behavioral and emotional distress for students who “thrive on routine.”
Why it matters: Families said the combination of many abbreviated days and a reduction in summer instruction—from several weeks in prior years to four weeks this summer—could mean the equivalent of weeks of lost instruction for students who require constant, routine‑based supports and who often cannot rely on informal caregivers for abbreviated school days.
Board response and process: Trustees acknowledged receipt of the letter and thanked parents for speaking at the meeting. Several board members said they appreciated the advocacy and signaled they had heard the concerns. No formal policy change or vote on the calendar was taken at the meeting; board members reminded the public that board discussion of personnel and operational details is constrained by process and that administration would be involved in technical fixes where appropriate.
Clarifying details: Speakers said the calendar for the year included 17 half days (an increase of about 11 from prior years, per comments in the meeting) and that the summer school program had been shortened to four weeks this year from a longer session in previous years. The letter referenced in public comment was signed by 105 people, according to speaker statements.
Ending: Parents asked the district to include a parent advisory body in future calendar decisions and to respond to the May 1 letter. Board members encouraged continued communication and said they would take parents’ concerns under advisement.
