DApproval of Revised 2020-2021 District-wide and Variance Calendars

Background Information:

In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, schools need to significantly alter normal beginning of the school year preparations for staff. There are a significant amount of new and additional health & safety measures, instructional options for parents, school routines, schedules, and operational procedures being implemented at the start of this new school year. These significant changes will require additional time for our school staff to be informed of and trained on. Additionally, our teacher's instructional planning will now require multiple options, methods, and plans in order to respond to the ever-changing risk levels presented by the COVID-19 Virus. As part of the KPBSD Smart Start 2020 Plan, we are asking the Commissioner of Education to waive the first four student contact days so that these four days can be provided to staff for additional training, planning and preparation days.

Unrelated to COVID-19, these calendar changes also reflect going back to Thursday/Friday Parent Teacher Conferences and in-service days rather than the Friday/Monday trial which was conducted last year. Parent and staff feedback overwhelmingly favored a Thursday/Friday approach to Parent Teacher Conferences and in-service days.

Administration recommends the proposed changes and calendars for Board of Education approval. If approved they will be sent to the Department of Education and Early Development for Commissioner Johhson's approval.