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Cannon Falls board to send parent-only survey on school start date after public concern about fair conflicts
Summary
After a public comment on conflicts with county and state fair schedules, the Cannon Falls School Board voted to pause a calendar change and send a parent-only survey offering two options: keep the post–Labor Day start or move school two weeks earlier. The board will submit any early-start application to the state only after survey results.
The Cannon Falls School Board voted to send a parent-only survey to decide whether the district should keep a post–Labor Day start or move the school year two weeks earlier for the next two calendar years.
Administrators presented two calendar options: a post–Labor Day start (students begin September 8) and a two-week earlier start (August 24) that would provide roughly two extra weeks of instruction before statewide MCA testing. Jeff, speaking for administration, said the earlier start “would allow all of us to get more curriculum in before we take the statewide MCA test.” Trustees discussed semester balance, how semester-long electives would be affected, and the practical effect on graduation dates, which could move into a Memorial Day weekend slot under some calendars.
Public comment influenced board members’ decision to get broader parent input. Parent Katie Lindell told the board the proposed early start would clash with local rural commitments: “So the kids would have to choose to either attend the first week of school or second week of school or bring their animal to the fair, which seems like an unfair choice,” she said, noting that livestock projects can lead to scholarship opportunities and statewide competitions that occur in late August and early September.
Board members said they would run a short parent survey limited to registered parent contacts through Infinite Campus, present two clear options and avoid splitting responses among three or more choices. The board discussed logistics — including a primary/secondary contact filter to prevent duplicates — and the calendar application timeline; administration said an application to the state would be due by April 15 and can take up to 45 days for approval.
The motion, made and seconded by trustees during the meeting, directed administration to send a parent-only survey offering the two options and to table final calendar approval until survey results are returned and reviewed at the next board meeting.
Next steps: administration will finalize survey wording, send it to parents, and present results at the board’s following meeting so trustees can decide whether to submit an early-start application to the state.
