Koldeway wants full board to vote on changes at BHS
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff writer
Opponents of a switch from an eight-period day to a seven-period daily schedule at Burlington High School are not going to go away quietly.
At the Burlington Area School District Policy Committee meeting May 21, new School Board member Roger Koldeway questioned whether enough had been done in seeking approval for the switch.
Koldeway, one of two newly elected board members and a newly appointed member of the policy committee, asked that the committee review policy 322 – school day.
The part of the policy in question is the statement: “major revisions in hours of operation and in scheduling practice shall be subject to the approval of the School Board.”
Koldeway, an opponent from the beginning of switching from the eight-period, block schedule at BHS, felt the change should have gotten approval from the full board.
“To me, it should be approved by the board,” he said at the meeting.
In the spring of 2011, then-Assistant Principal Eric Burling brought the proposed change in front of the BASD committees, and received approval from them.
Burling supported the plan, as did outgoing BASD Superintendent David Moyer. Koldeway has argued that the schedule change not only deprives students of more academic choices, but could cost the district more money. District officials have repeatedly disputed that claim, saying the switch, which goes hand-in-hand with a reduction in staffing, will result in an estimated $400,000 savings.
Moyer said Monday night that Burling had recommended the switch as a way to improve continuity in teaching certain subjects. The current block scheduling system often created gaps in student schedules of up to a year for certain subjects.
In looking at the policy in question, district staff admitted the wording may not be clear enough to avoid full board approval.
“The question is whether the policy is clear enough or whether there needs to be a vote,” said Smet.
As for another vote on the matter, in spite of the switch ready to go at the high school?
“It could, yes, if members wanted to bring that up,” Smet said.
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