Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Calendar topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves pilot moving some high-school early dismissals to January for midyear assessments
Summary
Norwalk trustees added and approved a pilot to move three high-school early-dismissal days into mid-January for midyear performance-based assessments; staff said the schedule aims to improve assessment administration and grading turnaround and that transportation may face minor delays.
The Norwalk Board of Education voted to add and approve a pilot that would move several high-school early-dismissal days from March to mid-January to support midyear performance-based assessments.
District staff (Mr. Pennington) said the plan would move three early-dismissal days for high schools into January—proposed dates include Jan. 15, 16, 20 and 21 so that A/B schedules are covered. "We would bring those three days for the high school, and they would have four early dismissal days, 2 for A day, 2 for B day," Pennington said, explaining the change helps administer assessments and allows time for grading before semester two begins.
Board members asked about logistics, including transportation impact and communication with families. Staff said they consulted roughly 10 surrounding districts and unions and that a transportation study (conducted by Joanna) estimated at-worst 15-minute bus delays at high schools; administrators said high school leaders were prepared to accommodate that possibility.
A board member moved to add the early-dismissal item to the action agenda; the motion was seconded and the board voted aye. The chair declared the addition and subsequent approval unanimous.
The pilot will be monitored and staff committed to reporting back to the board in February and in April with data on how the January pilot impacted grading, scheduling and transportation.
