Evesham School District 2015–2016 calendar continues use of delayed openings for staff-inservice activities
The Evesham Township School District Board of Education adopted its calendar for the 2015–2016 school year, albeit after a debate over the practice of using delayed openings for the purpose of staff in-service.
At its most recent meeting, the board approved a 2015–2016 calendar in which three, two-hour delayed openings are scheduled for the purpose of staff in-service on Friday Oct 9, Friday, Jan. 15 and Friday, May 27.
Board member Nichole Stone questioned the use of delayed openings, asking if the in-service could be performed through the use of early dismissal days instead.
Stone said she believed delaying the opening of school made it much more difficult for parents to get their children to school, as opposed to early dismissal.
Superintendent John Scavelli Jr. said the delayed openings, as opposed to early dismissals, gave the district more time to complete the necessary in-service activities.
Scavelli said with the additional in-service time gained from a delayed opening as opposed to an early dismissal, the district was able to cut down on the overall number of early dismissals.
According to Scavelli, it was the overall number of early dismissals he heard as the most frequent complaint from parents before the district started in-service delayed openings several years ago.
“We’ve reduced the number of days that are impacted overall, so we used to have as many as 12 or 13 early dismissal days, and this calendar has eight, and it has three, two-hour delayed openings, so overall we have reduced the overall number,” Scavelli said.
Scavelli also responded to questions about moving in-service days from one part of the year to another, but he said they were scheduled during specific times of the year in which staff needed to complete certain activities.
“Those two-hour delays are spaced out through the year to get the things done that we need to get done at that point in time, otherwise it’s not as productive,” Scavelli said.
Stone also brought up the possibility of scheduling in-service during President’s Day, Monday Feb. 15, 2016, when schools will already be closed, but Scavelli said no in-service was scheduled for that day because of contractual obligations, as the holiday is a legal, paid day-off for several district staff members.
Stone then asked if the President’s Day scenario was something that could be brought up in on-going teacher contract negotiations.
Scavelli said it was something the board could entertain for future years, but it was too late to affect the 2015–2016 calendar, which Scavelli said the district was already later than most districts in adopting.
“Negotiations may not be done until June, may not be done until August, may not be done until May,” Scavelli said. “We don’t know that so we can’t wait until then to adopt a calendar.”
Scavelli went on to say that the district’s early childhood care program is available to parents who find the two-hour delays difficult, and said for those specific days, the district could waive the requirement of having parents sign up for the entire year at one time.
