Johnston Board Looks to 2012-13 School Year with Reports

One theme of Monday's  meeting was the future.

The board heard several reports relating to the 2012-13 school year.

Associate Superintendent Jim Casey gave the board an update on discussions of an early start date for the 2012-13 school year. This week students and staff members in eighth to 12th grades received a survey to gauge their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with having finals before winter break.

The district began the 2011-12 school year on Aug. 15 in order to end first semester and hold finals before winter break. Some criticized that date because the Iowa State Fair was under way when school began.

A decision on whether the district would keep an early start date, possibly Aug. 13, for the 2012-13 school year has yet to be made. In December, several community members with the early start date.

"Students were asked a couple of big questions," Casey said. "We asked them whether having the finals before, if it made any difference in how they did on the finals. Did it help, hurt or not make a difference."

Staff members will answer similar questions, but were also asked what type of finals they gave students.

"What it came down to was semester courses, trying to get input on both from a semester perspective, full-year perspective and block perspective," he said. "I think when we get all the way through that we're gonna be able to really analyze, to say who's doing what and where are the big issues as far as where finals are located."

Board member Julie Walter said she had heard from several students that they loved having finals before break.

In other reports:
• Casey said staff members are gearing up to discuss the staffing plan for the 2012-13 school year.

"Right now we're in the process of meeting with all the different principals," he said. "We're very cognizant this year of not only lower certified enrollment, but also we have 2 percent allowable growth. I'm sure there will be more requests than we will be able to staff."

Casey said the idea was to have a discussion topic at the Jan 23 board meeting on the topic of staffing. The discussion would include requests received from schools and the administration's recommendations.

• A committee has met to discuss the structure of the Johnston school day.

The committee identified three issues with the school day:

• The amount of academic time for elementary students in the mornings.
• Time available, especially for elementary teachers, to analyze data, collaborate in professional learning communitities and plan.
• Enough time to fit all required academic subjects into the day.

Casey said the committee is not likely to come to a concensus, but would discuss thoughts and findings with the administrative team.