Hope School Board calls special meeting to discuss 2024-2025 school calendar
The Hope School Board held a special called meeting Thursday afternoon in the boardroom of the administration building to discuss the 2024-2025 school calendar.
Board members voted 4 to 1 to approve a motion by board member Bubba Powers to approve the alternative calendar with the ability to apply for a start time waiver from the state.
Superintendent Jonathan Crossley presented several options to the board members, including a traditional calendar, a 4-day week calendar and a couple of ‘hybrid’ calendars that meld ideas favoring year-round calendars with the traditional model but with more off days.
The two hybrid calendars included starting either Thursday, July 18th or July 25th.
Crossley said a poll of 504 parents showed the traditional calendar was favored, however, votes for one of the two hybrid calendars added up to more that the number of votes for the traditional calendar. He said the two hybrid options split the majority vote.
The president of the Personnel Policy Committee, Jill Self stated the PPC felt recovery from learning loss during the summer as the leading educational reason for changing the calendar. She also stated the traditional calendar was not working and cited the high absentee rate among students and staff as proof.
This 4 to 1 vote allows Crossley to now request a waiver from the state, but will allow a vote on the ultimate academic calendar to be determined at a later date.
The board will meet on Monday, March 18 at 5:30 pm in the district’s administration building.
