(West Harrison, Ind.) – A calendar conundrum has the school board at Sunman-Dearborn Community Schools delaying a decision on next year’s school schedule.
The district has already approached teachers with three proposed calendar options for the 2012-13 school year, with the educators selecting a calendar setting August 6 as the first student day. This year’s first student day was August 10.
The teachers’ preferred calendar includes longer fall and spring breaks with the proposal. Fall break would come October 15-19, last first semester student day December 20, possible snow makeup day December 21, first second semester student day January 3, snow makeup days or extended spring break March 18-22, spring break March 25-29, and the last student day May 22.
Such a calendar would allow Sunman-Dearborn’s vocational school students attending the Southeast Career Center in Versailles to miss fewer days as the center has chosen a balanced schedule. Sunman-Dearborn would also align with Lawrenceburg and South Dearborn school districts, which have already adopted balanced calendars for next year. Advocates say balanced calendars also help increase attendance and improve student performance.
Opponents, however, argue that a shorter summer means less opportunity for family vacations and puts a strain on parents to find child care options during the extended breaks during the school year.
The board voted at their Thursday, November 10 meeting to wait until January to approve a 2012-13 school calendar. More public input on the calendar issue will be heard at the board’s next regular monthly meeting Thursday, December 8.
Superintendent Jeff Hendrix says more public input will be taken on the proposed calendars.
“The people who have attended the board meeting in opposition have not expressed any particular calendar options. That is why we are going to put out a survey,”
Parents, teachers, students, and others will be able to complete an online once it is linked on the school corporation website, http://www.sunmandearborn.k12.in.us.
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