Parents help pick 2017-18 calendar

The Daniel Boone Area School Board and district staff have listened — and responded — to the results of a recent online poll regarding in-service days and the “first student day” of the 2017-18 school year.

Superintendent James P. Harris said at the board’s April 10 Committee-of-theWhole meeting that school will start the Monday before Labor Day.

Professional development will occur during seven in-service days.

The online poll was prompted by parents opposed to the previous calendar that included twohour delays on eight school days for professional development.

Parents were also opposed to the third school year that would start after Labor Day.

“The new calendar is reflective of the public’s voting — of 800+ people,” said board President Michael D. Wolfe.

“Nine hundred responses,” said board member Jeff Scott, adding, “We’ve put together a plan that is best for the students and teachers.”

The “professional development” was to train teachers for the One-to-One Initiative (IPads), prior to high school students receiving IPads in 2018-19.

Wolfe said the teachers’ union contract requires seven in-service days.

The revised calendar’s scheduled seven days for 2017-18 will include IPad training and other professional development.

Wolfe said school started after Labor Day in 201516 and 2016-17 due to the teacher’s contract ending on Aug. 31 and new contracts not starting until Sept. 1.

The new teacher’s contract starts July 1 of each year.

Harris issued a ConnectEd phone call on April 10 asking parents to remind their children that weapons — or replica weapons — are not permitted on school property.

The call said parents can reference District Policy 224 on the district webpage for a complete list of items considered to be weapons.

“Weapons, Guns (real and fake), knives, pepper spray, etc are not permitted at school and possession may result in expulsion.”

That Connect-Ed call was a follow-up to the March 29 arrest of a High School student who arrived and entered the school with an assault type gun and knife.

A Connect-Ed call that morning informed parents that the school went into immediate lockdown, state police were contacted, and the student was detained and arrested.