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At its regular monthly meeting on Monday, the Montevideo school board authorized a series of public hearings to get input from school district residents on an earlier-than-usual start to the school year for 2012-2013.
Under the “flexible learning year” proposal, some schools in the Minnesota River Valley Education District (MRVED) would start classes prior to Labor Day, with the school year ending before Memorial Day.
There are two primary reasons for the board proposing an earlier starting date. The first is to give students six extra days to prepare for the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) tests, which gauge students’ progress in math, reading and science and the second is to allow more flexibility to schedule in four common staff development days with the participating districts.
A preliminary survey by the school board showed 70 percent of Montevideo’s teaching staff and 67 percent of parents responding to the survey favored the early start to the school year.
To get a more thorough handle on public opinion, the board has set three dates this month for one-hour input meetings, open to the public: Thursday, Jan. 19, at 5 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 26, at noon; and Monday, Jan. 30, at 5 p.m. All three meetings will be held in the board room at Montevideo Middle School.
The initial proposal involved six MRVED schools (Lac qui Parle Valley, Dawson-Boyd, Renville County West, Montevideo, Benson and YME). As the process has moved forward, Yellow Medicine East has withdrawn from the application and Benson is currently undecided.
Schools that wish to implement the early start date must develop a plan as to how such a move can improve student performance and then they must submit their request to the Minnesota Commissioner of Education by the end of January or beginning of February.
“The early start isn’t something schools can just decide to do, said Montevideo Superintendent Dr. Luther Heller.
In other action at Monday’s meeting, the board approved a 2 percent salary increase for the schools’ principals for each of the next two years.
The board also accepted monetary donations from the Montevideo Lions Club, Minnesota Community Foundation, Kiwanis, Stai Family Foundation, and the Casey family.
Board member Maggie Kluver reported that participation in the Montevideo Community Education’s Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) programs has increased from nine participants last year to 74 this year.
At its regular monthly meeting on Monday, the Montevideo school board authorized a series of public hearings to get input from school district residents on an earlier-than-usual start to the school year for 2012-2013.
Under the “flexible learning year” proposal, some schools in the Minnesota River Valley Education District (MRVED) would start classes prior to Labor Day, with the school year ending before Memorial Day.
There are two primary reasons for the board proposing an earlier starting date. The first is to give students six extra days to prepare for the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) tests, which gauge students’ progress in math, reading and science and the second is to allow more flexibility to schedule in four common staff development days with the participating districts.
A preliminary survey by the school board showed 70 percent of Montevideo’s teaching staff and 67 percent of parents responding to the survey favored the early start to the school year.
To get a more thorough handle on public opinion, the board has set three dates this month for one-hour input meetings, open to the public: Thursday, Jan. 19, at 5 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 26, at noon; and Monday, Jan. 30, at 5 p.m. All three meetings will be held in the board room at Montevideo Middle School.
The initial proposal involved six MRVED schools (Lac qui Parle Valley, Dawson-Boyd, Renville County West, Montevideo, Benson and YME). As the process has moved forward, Yellow Medicine East has withdrawn from the application and Benson is currently undecided.
Schools that wish to implement the early start date must develop a plan as to how such a move can improve student performance and then they must submit their request to the Minnesota Commissioner of Education by the end of January or beginning of February.
“The early start isn’t something schools can just decide to do, said Montevideo Superintendent Dr. Luther Heller.
In other action at Monday’s meeting, the board approved a 2 percent salary increase for the schools’ principals for each of the next two years.
The board also accepted monetary donations from the Montevideo Lions Club, Minnesota Community Foundation, Kiwanis, Stai Family Foundation, and the Casey family.
Board member Maggie Kluver reported that participation in the Montevideo Community Education’s Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) programs has increased from nine participants last year to 74 this year.
