Mondays off in next year’s calendar

RANDOLPH – Days off, early dismissals and late starts due to winter weather in January has forced some modifications to the school calendar.

The Randolph Public School board approved extending the quarter by one week to end Friday, March 15, instead of Thursday, March 7, keeping the number of days in each quarter similar in length as suggested by Superintendent Daryl Schrunk.

“There are some quarter classes that switch so we wanted them to have equal opportunity,” he said. “It would’ve been very lopsided, trying to balance a little bit due to the snow.”

Other changes to the end of the 2023-24 academic year: - School will be in session April 8, 15 and 22 to make up for snow days.

- March 22 will be a teacher in-service date instead of April 22.

Randolph Public Schools was closed five days due to weather in January and also started school late twice and dismissed early twice.

With this year’s school calendar taken care of, board members switched to reviewing the school calendar for the 2024-25 school year.

After reviewing feedback from both parents and staff, Schrunk suggested moving the four-day school week to a consistent Monday off for next year.

Schrunk said he heard from many parents it was confusing not knowing on any given week if Monday or Friday was off. Other feedback indicated parents were more easily to get their child in for appointments on Mondays rather than Fridays. There also tends to be more school activities on Fridays with a preference for school to be in session on the days activities are scheduled.

The 2024-25 calendar also included a teacher in-service every month except for December.

After going back and forth with four different calendar drafts, Schrunk said he wasn’t able to incorporate some staff suggestions.

One suggestion was to change parent-teacher conferences, normally held on a Monday from noon to 8 p.m., as it makes for a long week for teachers.

“It’s hard to find another day to have it,” Schrunk said. “If we’re going to go 8-4 during contract time, you’re not going to see a parent. I didn’t compromise on that. It isn’t ideal but we only ask them to do it twice a year.” He also decided not to automatically take off the Fridays of state athletic tournaments.

Certainly if Randolph qualifies a team for state athletics, the school will close so that all students and staff can attend, he said.

Parents can excuse their students the day of the tournament if they wish.

After some brief discussion, the board unanimously approved the 2024-25 school calendar.

During last week’s board meeting, members also heard about updating the elementary and middle school science curriculum to Inspire Science published by McGraw Hill.

The new materials were selected by a Professional Learning Community collaboration among teachers after evaluating strengths and gaps of one other potential source.

Elementary Principal Denton Beacom said currently teachers are using digital resources only as the hard-copy science materials are two decades or more out of date.

“Our goal is hands-on,” he said. “We want kits especially at the elementary level and middle school as well. There will be a reading portion with it but we want kids doing hands-on labs.”

A final quote for the materials will be presented at the March board meeting for approval, and professional development will take place in May or June, he said.

Schrunk said the new curriculum can be purchased using the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, federal monies made available to help address unfinished teaching and learning stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. In past years, curriculum purchases were made by using money in the school’s depreciation fund.

After the regular meeting, the board met in executive session for about 20 minutes to discuss renewal of contracts for Beacom as well as High School Principal Brandi Bartels. Both were renewed.

The board will meet to consider a teaching contract during a special board meeting, Monday, Feb. 19.

A board retreat is set for 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 26. The retreat is open to the public but no action will be taken. Board members plan to tour different school facilities and review a facility update plan.

Regular meeting times will switch from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., starting for the March 11 meeting, to take advantage of extra daylight.