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School to begin after Labor Day

WEST BRANCH

BELOIT — West Branch Local School District will still begin school after Labor Day this fall.

The school board Thursday night approved the 2017-2018 school calendar with the first day of classes for students on Sept. 6. The last day for students will be June 7 and commencement on June 3.

Both board President Lori McLaughlin and John Wallace voted against the calendar, noting academic reasons.

Parents and 4-H advisers last month expressed concern that starting before Labor Day would harm the students participating in the Canfield Fair and make it difficult for students, particularly young ones, to adjust to the new school year if they are given the week off for the fair. The board two years ago started prior to Labor Day, which coincides with the last day of the fair, due to the lateness of the holiday and its correlation with state testing that spring.

The district traditionally starts after Labor Day.

While acknowledging the importance of the fair for participating students, Wallace cited affirmation from administrators and faculty for an earlier start date for his dissenting vote. He said the board needs to find a compromise that will benefit all the students in the district, noting the 1,800 students who do not participate in the Canfield Fair.

McLaughlin agreed with Wallace, explaining that the fair should be considered like any other fall extra curricular activity, all of which begin in August, and reminding parents that the board of education must consider the education of the students above all else.

Prior to the vote, two high school seniors related their experience attempting to earn college credit with the later start date. They both noted the later start date, coming two weeks after the start of area universities, limited their options for credited courses.

Michael Johnson said he had to take classes at Kent State University-Salem to earn credit, meaning he missed out on other classes at West Branch due to travel time. Ashley Weber told the board it needs to consider a schedule that best meets the needs of all students, especially since the state of education has evolved so much.

After the two students spoke, parent Candice McDonald told the board she posted a survey on social media on Sunday regarding the issue and of over 400 votes, 85 percent were in favor of the later start date. She also noted she is a parent of a student earning college credit and her child experienced no difficulties.

This is the second consecutive year the issue has caused division on the board and in the community.

In other business, the board hired Erin Gillingham as a home instructor on an as needed basis, Michelle von Debschitz as an interpreter on an as needed basis and Lisa Thorne as a 2.5-hour cook’s helper, as well as granted supplemental contracts to Merrellyn Banks for assistant boys tennis coach and Penny DeShields for middle school Washington D.C. coordinator.

The board also accepted donations of $1,195 from various community members, businesses and organizations to the L. Brunner Memorial scholarship for the high school industrial arts program, as well as a $999 donation from the athletic boosters for the HUDL program and a $30 from Dan and Kari Kibby for the Damascus soldier project.

Also at the meeting the board recognized the district’s preschool for earning Step Up to Quality five-star rating through the Ohio departments of education and job and family services. Preschool teacher Allison Krupko said there were evaluated on several aspects including educational program-learning/development, staff qualifications/professional development, administration/leadership and family/community partnerships. She said they had to submit a lengthy, detailed application, host random visits from evaluators and complete several in-depth interviews.

khowell@salemnews.net

 

 

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