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Board reviews proposed 2024–25 calendar: six‑day elementary rotation, staggered start times and debate over August start date
Summary
District staff proposed a six-day rotation for PK–5 with daily planning blocks and a 'win time' for targeted instruction, staggered start times to reduce traffic, and a calendar that removes weekly early dismissals; board members debated moving the school start later in August to avoid conflicts with summer activities and discussed graduation timing.
District staff presented a proposed 2024–25 calendar and schedule changes aimed at increasing teacher planning time and creating more consistent instructional blocks. For the elementary school staff proposed a six-day rotation so students receive music, PE, health, guidance, library and art at regular intervals across a six-day cycle; teachers would have a one‑hour planning block every day that would be used for grade‑level collaboration with special education and Title staff, PLCs, common planning and individual planning. Staff described a 'win time' that groups students by skill level across grades for remediation or enrichment and said the new building’s spaces (for example an upstairs innovation center) would support differentiated activities. The proposal also calls for removing midweek early dismissals and embedding five full collaboration days at strategic points in the year. To address traffic and safety at the site with multiple buildings, staff said they are coordinating with First Student to stagger start times (elementary/preschool ~8:05–8:10 a.m.; middle/high ~8:30 a.m.) and expect tentative bus routes by March 15 with adjustments before May enrollment. Several board members raised community concerns about an early August start that conflicts with local summer activities such as the Gage County Fair and proposed moving the start to mid‑August and adjusting graduation dates accordingly; staff noted that shifting days affects semester balance and instructional minutes and that more work is needed to reconcile competing priorities. No calendar was adopted; staff will continue refining dates and logistics with input from teachers, transportation and families.
