Board Report - January 16
![Pictured are members of the Union Public Schools Board of Education, from left to right, President Heather McAdams, Superinte]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1700082459/unionpsorg/ypqfp2uplnxasujjhfmb/BoardofEducation.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1700082459/unionpsorg/ypqfp2uplnxasujjhfmb/BoardofEducation.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1700082459/unionpsorg/ypqfp2uplnxasujjhfmb/BoardofEducation.jpg","width":800}])
Updated
Board Considers 2024-2025 Calendar Proposal
On first reading, the Board of Education considered a proposed calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. Board members will consider final approval of the calendar at their next meeting on Monday, February 12.
The calendar, which closely mirrors this year’s calendar, calls for the first day of school to start August 15 with the last day tentatively set for May 28, with five snow days built into the calendar.
One notable change involves the return of periodic Late Start Fridays, when school would start an hour later to allow for professional collaboration activities amongst educators once or twice a month. The end of the school day would not change, however. Union had discontinued Late Start Fridays due to the pandemic.
On the proposed calendar, Late Start Fridays have been scheduled for:
- September 6, 2024
- September 20, 2024
- October 4, 2024
- November 1, 2024
- November 15, 2024
- December 6, 2024
- January 31, 2025
- February 21, 2025
- March 7, 2025
- April 4, 2025
- May 2, 2025
- May 16, 2025.
Once again, there are also two virtual days – one in October and another in April – where students will complete assignments at home while teachers are involved in collaboration and training. If no snow days are used, the last day of school would be May 20. View the proposed 2023-2024 calendar here.
The public may email comments about the calendar to board@unionps.org.
“We are looking forward to re-implementing Late Start Fridays beginning next year,” Superintendent Dr. Kirt Hartzler said, noting Union was one of the first school districts to adopt the program several years ago. “Late Start Fridays went very well. Our teachers benefited from it greatly. With the pandemic, we had to make a lot of modifications, and we pulled it from the calendar with the understanding that one day we would bring it back to you.”
Teaching and Learning decided it was time to reinstate the initiative, increasing collaboration from 30-40 minutes of collaboration every Friday to a full hour every other week, he said. While there will be questions, Hartzler told the Board, “We do believe that Late Start Fridays will be advantageous to teachers, helping with their instruction and the curriculum. And, it will benefit student learning.”
The district plans to send phone message reminders to parents about upcoming Late Start Fridays.
In other action, the Board:
- Approved a job order contract (JOC) with Reco Construction for $250,000. In April 2023, the Board initially approved purchases up to $100,000, with an additional $250,000 approved in August 2023. The JOC enables the district to approve future expenditures to complete multiple minor renovation and small capital improvement projects under one contract. To continue to utilize the contract, the board has approved an additional $250,000 that is available for future expenditures, bringing the total to $600,000. Each project will be identified and packaged into deliverables and priced based on the agreement of the contract approved last April. Any individual projects over $100,000 require board approval.
- The Board also approved word revisions to Board Policy 3175 involving the district’s investments.