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Board holds public hearing on two alternative calendars; staff favored later start and five-day Thanksgiving
Summary
The board opened a public hearing Jan. 13 on two alternative school calendars; staff voted for a later-start option that includes a five-day Thanksgiving break.
The Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees opened a public hearing on Jan. 13 to review two alternative school calendars developed by the calendar committee.
Miss Volna, presenting for the calendar committee, said the committee is proposing two calendar options to put forward to staff; staff voted in two rounds and the calendar that received the highest staff vote is the one being presented for board consideration. The two staff-preferred calendars both start later in the year than the district’s historical schedule.
Trustee Sorensen and others highlighted the major trade-off of a later start: the semester would end later and could push students to return after Christmas to finish classes. Trustees, including Miss Schumacher, also discussed learning loss for students considered at risk when a five-day Thanksgiving break effectively becomes a 10-day absence from school for some families. Miss Schumacher said the district’s attendance data shows roughly a third of staff and about a third of students are consistently absent on those two days when a shorter week was previously used.
Calendar committee members and trustees discussed mitigation strategies for students who rely on school meals. Miss Bolton and others noted the district’s health academy runs a backpack program that provides food, and the committee is investigating whether families receiving free or reduced-price meals could pick up food packages during extended breaks. Overland Elementary’s early head start program also operates year-round and would remain open at least part of an extended Thanksgiving break, which could help with continuity for some families.
Trustees and staff emphasized that the calendar presented to the board on Jan. 13 was the result of staff voting and that the board will consider final approval next month after the public hearing period and any public comment. No final calendar vote occurred at the Jan. 13 meeting.
