BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD LOOKS AT NEW SCHOOL CALENDAR
Brenham School Board members reviewed the proposed school calendar for next year at a workshop meeting today (Monday). Superintendent Walter Jackson briefed the board on the proposed calendar. The district has more flexibility with the calendar thanks to House Bill 2610 which changes the required number of days to required minutes for the school year. Dr. Jackson said that a committee made up of parents, teachers, district staff, and community stakeholders met twice and worked out the specifics of the calendar. He stated that it was impossible to accommodate all of the wants and needs of the committee, but they framed everything in “what was best for the students”. The proposed calendar has the first day of school on August 22nd and the last day on June 2nd, with graduation on June 3rd. Students would have the full week off for Thanksgiving, and 11 days off for the winter break. The calendar will likely be voted on by the board at their next scheduled meeting on February 17th.
Kim Strauss and Christie Olivarez briefed the board on how the new student enrolment process will be handled this summer. The process will include the computerized assignment of and elementary campus for Pre-K and Kindergarten students beginning school next year. The selection will help equalize the three elementary campuses based on race and economic status. Olivarez said that registration dates would begin in May and that 5 stations would be set up to allow parents to work their way through the process efficiently. Strauss stated that they are working to have the required forms on line so parents could fill them out ahead of time if they wished. She also said that an appeal process will be available if a parent disagrees with the campus selection for their child.
Director of Finance Kim Horne briefed the board on the required investment training for the district’s investment officers. She said that although returns on investment are down, the district is currently earning 1.35% on its CD investments, which is better than most districts. The next Brenham School Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday February 17th at 6pm at Brenham High School.
I personally would rather get out earlier in the year then the entire week of Thanksgiving.
Brian and Concerned, as a SINGLE mother of an elementary school child, I am on a rather limited income and do not have the extra money for an EXTRA weeks worth of daycare. I take the responsibility to budget my income as far as it will allow and still be a productive part of the work force that pays taxes. With that being said, I am guessing that neither of you actually have to miss work to take care of a sick child or worry about funding for an extra weeks worth of daycare. To me it has nothing to do with responsibility and everything to do with an unneeded “Thanksgiving Week” holiday!
I was a single mother also living on only my income and yes I did have to miss work to take care of my sick child. I do not have any family here so it was all on me. My point is, this is not the school’s responsibility.
Dr. Jackson, where should I send my child during the week that school is closed for Thanksgiving? Any ideas? Will you pay me for that…probably not.
Schools and teachers are not day care or babysitters. Take your children wherever you would during spring break or the summer while you are at work. Take some personal responsibility for your children rather than relying on educators to parent them.
I assume you do the same thing with your kids that you do during other holidays and summer months. Who pays for that? Not the school system.
This post shows exactly what is wrong with our schools today. Parents are looking for publically paid baby sitters to do their jobs for them instead of taking responsibility for it themselves. Teachers only role should be to teach the material kids need to learn enabling them to succeed in life, but instead they are having to try to teach the most basic life skills like good behavior in school/public places, manners, respect, etc. Why should schools be your personal babysitter?
No whole week of Thanksgiving, but our district gets out on May 24th next year.
I completely agree with this comment. A teacher’s job is to educate your children, not babysit or make accommodations according to your availability. Too much responsibility is falling on the teachers rather than the parents. I can’t believe people are upset over a week of Thanksgiving because that’s more time that their children are at home. That’s not the teacher’s problem.