By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Following the lead of many Wisconsin public districts, Raymond School officials may part with the long-held practice of holding spring break around Easter time.
The placement of one of the K-8 district’s two extended vacation periods each school year was among the topics discussed Sept. 15 during the School Board’s regular monthly meeting.
District Administrator Joe Dawidziak conceptually discussed with elected officials the school calendar for the 2015-16 school year and beyond.
Nothing has been set in stone at this point, but Dawidziak did discuss a series of big picture concepts.
Because Easter falls on a different Sunday each year, there have been instances in which students are off from school in late April, as in the 2013-14 school year.
The scenario makes the close of the school year somewhat cumbersome as students respond to getting a taste of the longer summertime break that is to come.
In addition to spring break, Dawidziak gauged the board’s interest in holding school year round. If such a proposal were to advance, Dawidziak emphasized it would not be for at least several years.
“Knowing what I know now, we’d be the only ones doing it,” Dawidziak said of the year-round proposal.
Dawidziak added none of the other Union Grove area districts have expressed interest in a year-round schedule, which would build in longer breaks of about two weeks each throughout the calendar.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, board members also expressed interest in condensing the school calendar and having classes wrap by the end of May.
“From what I’ve experienced at my own home, it’s an uphill battle after Memorial Day,” School Board President Dawn Peterson commented.
Across Wisconsin, school districts have more flexibility in building their school year calendar. The old provision of having 180 instructional days has been repealed in favor of a set number of hours.
Raymond officials will continue discussing the school district’s 2015-16 calendar in upcoming months.
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