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Peoria Unified board approves 2017–18 calendar change, shifts to weekly early‑release Mondays for staff development
Summary
The Peoria Unified School District governing board approved a revision to the 2017–18 school calendar that adds an observed Veterans Day holiday and replaces inconsistent late‑start/non‑student days with consistent two‑hour early releases on most Mondays to provide teacher professional development. The change passed by voice vote after a staff presentation and public comment.
The Peoria Unified School District governing board approved a revision to the 2017–18 school calendar that adds an observed Veterans Day holiday and changes the district’s schedule of professional development so teachers generally meet during two‑hour early‑release Mondays instead of a mix of late starts and intermittent non‑student days.
The revision was presented by Dr. Stifler as an administrative recommendation designed to resolve scheduling and contractual issues created when Veterans Day fell on a weekend and to create a consistent weekly routine for professional development. Dr. Stifler told the board the calendar committee and school principals recommended early release, saying, “the resounding answer coming back was a consistent answer… it should be early release instead.”
During discussion board members asked whether the change increased total professional development time and how parent‑teacher conferences would be handled. Staff said the total professional development hours would be roughly the same under the early‑release model (two‑hour increments across Mondays) and that parent‑teacher conferences remained planned and would be accommodated; specific conference days (October 20 and February 16) appear on the draft calendar.
Trina Berg, president of the teachers’ association (PEA), addressed the board in support of the shift away from late starts, noting practical concerns about conference scheduling and asking that some early‑release sessions be clearly designated as teacher‑protected time. “We do appreciate the early releases,” Berg said, but requested clarity that some days be district‑directed, some site‑directed and some preserved for teacher work time.
Board members also discussed impacts on families who need childcare on early‑release days and asked staff to coordinate supports at affected sites. The board moved to adopt the calendar revision; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
The change will be communicated to families and schools, and staff said they will work with sites between now and the start of the next school year to address logistics for parents and students. The board did not provide an exact effective date in the discussion but framed the vote as approval of the draft revision for distribution and implementation planning.
Outcome: motion to approve the revision of the 2017–18 school calendar passed by voice vote. The board directed staff to communicate changes and work with schools on early‑release logistics for families.
