Crane board adopts calendars for next 2 years

The Crane Elementary School District Governing Board adopted its school calendars for the next two school years during its meeting Tuesday evening, both with a start date at the end of July.

District Superintendent Laurie Doering explained a committee reviewed the options before surveying the staff, and about 80 percent said they preferred a calendar with two professional development days included.

A majority also said they wanted to move the spring parent-teacher conferences back to March from February, which parents had been requesting as well.

“I don’t like that we’re starting school in July, but I understand,” board member Sarah Claridge said. “There’s still eight and a half weeks of summer break, but with the way the days fall in August, it looks like we’re starting the first calendar on July 31, and the second is starting us on July 30.

Doering said the other dynamics involve parents’ wishes when it comes to the length of student breaks.

“A few years ago we moved our winter break from three weeks to two, and overwhelmingly people felt it wasn’t enough of a refresher, unanimous from all the school representatives, saying please move it back to three.

“We toyed with two and a half, etc., and they were really strong on keeping that three, leaving spring break at two and having a week in the fall. And when you look at the calendar, that’s kind of how we ended up in July.

Chief of Finance and Operations Dale Ponder said the start dates are close to those for Yuma Union High School District, which have their academic year starting on Aug. 1 for 2019-20 and Aug. 6 for 2020-21. In other votes Tuesday: • The board approved continuing its participation in the Education Finance Reform Group for a second year, through an agreement with Chandler Unified School District.

The group consists of districts from around the state, who hire a lobbyist to push for legislation advantageous to public schools, and board members agreed it would be worth it to stay involved.

• The board temporarily suspended a policy that requires it to conduct the superintendent’s annual performance evaluation in December, so it can be done in June after the end of the school year.

Instead, a mid-year review of Doering’s performance will be held in December.