PEA RIDGE — In a rare split vote, Pea Ridge School Board members approved the calendar recommended by the majority of employees instead of the one recommended by the school administration.
“I’m in a dilemma,” board president Jenny Wood said. “As long as I’ve been on the board, we’ve let the buildings vote.”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen it this close,” Rick Webb, board member,said. “We’ve always gone with the PPC.”
Two calendars were presented to the board. One option was designed by the administration. The second, adapted and changed and preferred by the Personnel Policy Committee, comprised by employees - both certified and classified.
The state mandates the number of “student-contact” days and the number of days per quarter, but local school districts have flexibility in arranging those days. This year, 11 days of school missed for snow required achange in the calendar. That change was also approved at Monday night’s regular board meeting.
The PPC voted 73/82 favoring calendar option number 2 with a preponderance of certified staff preferring calendar option 2.
Superintendent Mike Van Dyke recommended option number 1.
Board member Darin Wright made a motion to adopt Calendar 1.
“I’m out - I’m going through to the other four board members.
They’ve got children in the school,” Webb said, but then seconded themotion, which failed with only Wright and Webb voting for the option.
Board member Ann Cato made the motion with Joshua Ramsey seconding it to adopt Calendar 2. Cato, Ramsey and Wood voted for that option, which was passed.
The differences in the two options were slight, with no differences in August and October. Holiday dates varied, as did teacher professional development days and the final day of school with the selected option was Thursday, May 17, if there areno snow days added. The selected option included 11 snow days rather than 15 written into option number 1.
According to the approved calendar for 2011/2012, the first day of school will be Aug. 15, Thanksgiving break will be one week long for students with two professional development days scheduled for teachers, the winter break will be Dec. 22-Jan.
4 and spring break will be March 19-23. Snow days are to be added first to the end of the school year (May 21-June 1) and then to come out of spring break, if necessary.
News, Pages 1 on 03/16/2011