Haxtun Board of Education unanimously adopts four-day calendar for next school year

Haxtun students will have Mondays off when they return to school next fall. The Board of Education unanimously adopted a four-day calendar for the 2021-22 school year at a meeting Tuesday evening, April 20.

The final decision to make the change from a five-day to four-day school week comes following months of discussion among board members, administration and staff as well as several revisions to proposed calendars.

Adopting a calendar for the upcoming school year was the first item of business listed under action items at last week’s meeting. Board Member Jay Wisdom opened the conversation saying he understood a four-day week maybe inevitable, but expressed his interest to make the transition slowly, sticking with a five day in the 2021-22 school year and later moving to a four-day the following year.

His idea was met with opposition by several board members who said they felt the transition could be made smoothly over the next few months, including Board Member Amy Kilgour, who said making the decision aligns with community, staff and most importantly, administration’s wishes as both principals expressed their support of a four-day.

Board Member Tamara Durbin said that while she understands and values Haxtun’s traditions, she is excited to see what changes a four-day week could bring to the local school, noting that making the change with veteran teachers on staff could help with the transition.

Wisdom initially made a motion to approve a five-day calendar for the coming year with a four-day calendar to come the year following and fellow Board Member Abby Henry seconded the motion. However, after more discussion, Henry withdrew her second.

At that time, Wisdom made a motion to approve the proposed four-day calendar, presented by the District’s calendar committee, for the 2021-22 school year. All board members voted in favor; but before doing so, Board President Rich Starkebaum said the vote was one of the hardest he’s had to make while serving on the local school board.

In 2021-22, students will return to school in the fall on Aug. 18 with assessments slated for Aug. 16 and Aug. 17. Students will have Mondays off for the entire calendar, with the exception of one in-service day in September.

School will release in the spring of 2022 on May 26 at noon. Next year’s calendar also includes the usual holiday breaks for Christmas and Thanksgiving as well as week-long spring break in March. There is a change to include regular school on Good Friday, making Easter break a three-day weekend with Monday off.

The calendar includes 150.5 student days and 166 teacher days with a total of 1,085 attendance hours. The calendar allows for three snows days throughout the year.

The transition to a four-day week will be a topic of discussion at an upcoming board retreat planned with incoming Superintendent Marsha Cody. Other topics during the retreat will include the District’s mission and vision statements as well as the strategic plan. Plans are to also review CDE reports, staff information and student test results.

In other business the Board:

• Accepted resignations from Danielle Brandt as a special education teacher, Michele Bivins as middle school math and Darwin Jeffers as bus driver. Bivins will return for one additional year as a transition year into retirement;

• Ratified employment for Molly Brown as para-professional and Bonnie Jackson as custodian/para-professional;

• Certified the list of graduates for a May 16. At this time, graduation plans are in the works for an outdoor ceremony at the football field;

• Discussed plans for retirement parties for Superintendent Darcy Garretson and long-time staff member Rich Gerk. Tentative dates are as follows: Gerk on May 14 and Garretson on May 17.