Draft School Calendar Proposes First Day as August 27
Some board members question lack of full weeks
BAR HARBOR—Students might be heading to school a bit earlier next year, but also spending a bit less time inside the classroom. Next year’s draft calendar was passed around the giant tables set up in the MDI High School Library to members of the MDI Regional School System’s board, January 8.
The calendar received some slight push back from a couple of board members who questioned the amount of early release days and half days. Because of professional days and early release days and holidays, there are approximately 18-26 full weeks of school where students go to school for five consecutive school days, Monday through Friday.
Those numbers depend on grade level. There are 23 weeks with holidays, early release days, and/or professional development days for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. For high school students, there are 15 weeks that are not full five-day weeks. There are 41 weeks in the proposed school year, not counting the first week for teachers’ development and the last week for potential make-up days for weather events or school closures. There are 175 student days and 184 teachers days.
Some board members wondered about the number of early release days. Zboray said it is partially due to the professional time needed to make sure that all kids make forward progress.
“Every other week is not a full week of school essentially,” said Bar Harbor School Board Vice Chair Marie Yarborough.
She said that weather days will also knock out days and all of that combined decreases the consistency that kids need in their schedules. Weather cancelled school on January 10. The next week has a holiday.
“When you look at the calendar, it’s just hard to look at it with the acknowledgement that if you’re an elementary school student” it will be rare to have a full week of learning, she said.
Zboray said he considers those full weeks even when there are early release days. Those half days, he said, “are very impactful in the classroom.”
Many of the development days and early release days are to allow teachers and staff to develop professionally, cultivate new skills, or to work collaboratively about students through a multi-tiered system of support, which they can’t do while teaching and supervising classrooms directly.
Maria Spallino, a board member from Southwest Harbor agreed with Yarborough. Board Member Eliza Bishop (Tremont) said that the coverage of those early release days should be a collaborative community effort, meaning that organizations like the MDI YMCA or ArtWaves could work with the system to provide enrichment activities for the students during those times when school is not in session.
“We have to coordinate our calendar with HCTC,” School Superintendent Michael Zboray said. The proposed calendar starts before Labor Day. All other schools do that in the area, he said.
Despite the coordination, the calendars are still out of synch for six days.
One of the particular changes in the draft is that there is no school on the first week of school, which is full of professional time for teachers and new employee orientations. The first day for students would be August 27.
TEACHER’S CONTRACTS
Renée Laber, president of the Mount Desert Island Education Association, thanked the AOS Board, its negotiators, and the superintendent.
“I know first-hand how much energy” that negotiation requires, she said. “It was a giant leap of faith.”
For months union member representatives and school board representatives negotiated a three-year contract which includes teacher pay raises between 7 and 8 percent each year as well as new baseline salaries for new teachers. New teachers with a bachelor’s degree will start at $50,000 a year.
“It was very clear that it was a positive experience” for the negotiators, she said. “The salary increases are impactful and meaningful.”
She added that the contract’s language sends a message that the district and community send a message that it cares about staff.
“They feel valued, respected, heard,” she said.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also during the meeting, Zboray mentioned Corey Alley, a father, husband and selectboard member on the Cranberry Isles who died unexpectedly on Friday.
“I can tell you that he will be deeply missed by the community and those touched by his service.” Zboray said. “It’s in these times that people truly come together.” He also spoke of how Alley led the community by his service.
Overall school enrollment is up by three since September.
Members also signed the warrant for the annual public budget meeting. That meeting will be January 24, Wednesday, at the MDI High School Library.
The meeting also introduced the tech team for the school system,
“I think it’s really important that you see we are a team, and the work that we’ve been doing, we couldn’t do without restructuring our jobs at a district level,” Julie Keblinsky said. “The post pandemic world expects us to go online at any time.”
The technology needs for the school system were laid out during the budget for both the short term and more longer term, which was one year out. Those needs include IP network segmentation, security audits, review of firewalls, and other details. It also explains the increase of this year’s budget ask.
“Over the past ten years, our expectations have grown,” Keblinsky said.
“The tech budget for 2024-2025 has increased by 26.59% due to three main factors: the costs associated with Blue Spruce Technologies, the last year of ESSER funds supporting the IT Lead position, and the centralization of all district-wide software to the technology budget, “ the report reads.
“A huge component of that is cyber security,” Keblinsky said.
The directors’ report delved into the school’s multi-tiered system of supports and Schoology.
UPCOMING EVENTS AT CONNERS EMERSON
January 12th- Outdoor Club Family Stargazing Night (Stone Barn 7-8pm)
January 15th- NO SCHOOL in honor of MLK Jr. Day
January 18th- Community Steam Night at MDIHS Cafeteria
January 19th- NO SCHOOL (Professional Development Day)
January 22nd- NO SCHOOL (Professional Development Day)
February 14th- Valentine's Day: Wear your fave red, pink, purple, white, and other cupid-y colors!!!
February 16th- Early Release Day (12:30pm) and Pajama Day!!!
February 19-23rd- Vacation Week
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH AT MDI HIGH SCHOOL
