Summer vacation will start half-day earlier
Staff writer
Students in Marion-Florence USD 408 will begin their summer vacation a half day early following board action Monday night.
The board of education voted 6-1 to dismiss school at 12:30 p.m. May 25 — the time originally scheduled in the 2004-05 school calendar. Board member Keith Collett cast the "no" vote.
During the January board meeting, the board approved changing the four remaining half days of school to full days to make up for the two lost days caused by the ice storm.
However, except for one additional day when students were released at 1 p.m. due to snow, there were no other weather-related school cancellations.
"In January we decided that if the weather cooperated and we didn't miss anymore days then we would reconsider moving back to the half day as regularly scheduled," said superintendent Lee Leiker.
"The staff could use the half day to our advantage for school improvement," he added.
Summer school
After hearing from Missy Stubenhofer, curriculum director and assessment coordinator, the board voted 6-1 to approve summer school staffing and scheduling. Board member Roger Hannaford cast the "no" vote.
Stubenhofer said the district only planned to offer school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade this summer.
"We don't feel the need at this point to offer it at the high school," Stubenhofer said. "Enough won't attend to make it economically feasible."
At the elementary level, Stubenhofer said a new class, keyboarding, would be offered to fourth graders by instructor Tina Kraus.
"If it doesn't fill up we'll open it up to fifth graders and then sixth graders," Stubenhofer said. "There are certain expectations at the middle school as to how proficient they are in keyboarding.
"This class will help us fill that gap," she said. "This will get our fourth graders up to speed in keyboarding."
Leiker agreed, "We need to get keyboarding into our curriculum. We're trying to catch this group in the summer so when they get to junior high they'll have keyboarding skills."
Other classes being offered will include pass key projects, an Internet program which helps students testing below the proficiency level.
Stubenhofer estimated the cost of summer school would be approximately $22,500 which includes "reducing some advanced plan days" for teachers. The cost is based on a five-hour teaching day as opposed to an eight-hour day.
Board member Chris Sprowls questioned how many high school students would be impacted without summer school.
"Less than five," Stubenhofer replied. She noted one student needed a math class and one or two needed English credits.
Leiker noted the rationale for high school students qualifying for summer school is different than the lower grades.
"It's not a referral system like at the elementary," Leiker noted.
High school students who fail a nine weeks in an English or math class receive a failing grade for the semester. Summer school can be used to make up that semester, the superintendent said.
Stubenhofer noted that summer school classes are helpful in catching a student up with their peers, but a student who is really far behind "is not going to catch up in three weeks."
"We can't serve those who are really far behind, but we can make progress with anybody," she said.
Summer school enrollment has increased significantly since 1991, Stubenhofer told the board. Then, approximately 30 to 40 students attended as compared to last year when 110 students participated.
