School make-up days announced
The City of Madison Board of Education approved the amended 2010-2011 school year calendar, composed by Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler, which contains the make-up days for the school week missed Jan. 10 through Jan. 14.
Two of the five make-up days will come from two weather days that were already built into the school calendar. The other three make-up days will be Feb. 18, Professional Development Day; Feb. 21, President’s Day; and May 27, which will now be students’ last day, instead of May 26.
The built-in weather days are April 15 and May 6.
“We are charged by the state of Alabama to offer 180 days of student instruction, we are also charged to offer 187 for teacher contracts,” Fowler said. “It’s very easy to find days, but what is not easy is to find quality days. Instead of having a day here or a day there, where instruction is not continuous or contiguous to the overall calendar, that is more difficult.”
Fowler said it is best to have the instructional days before Memorial Day.
He said he received numerous calls and e-mails from different members of the community suggesting Saturday school. Fowler said Saturday posed a problem because it would be an inconvenience for those who use Saturday to worship, as well as Sunday.
“I think this is the best instructionally that we can do at this time,” Fowler told the board.
Board member Phil Schmidt expressed his approval of the amendment.
“I’m extremely glad we put weather days into the calendar,” Schmidt said. “Based on what I’ve heard, it’s hard to make everyone happy, but it will make the majority of people happy.”
Bobby Jackson, school transportation director, said it has been seven years since the school system saw a snow day.
In other board meeting news:
The meeting started off with the Knights of Columbus presenting a check in the amount of $4,320, divided between 10 schools. The money will go toward programs related to students with special needs, according to Knights member Danny Garcia.
“Every year, our club conducts a drive in Madison, and every year, we raise funds with large help from teachers and students,” Garcia said, it’s always a pleasure to come to these meetings and hand out a check.”
Dr. Daphne Jah, principal at West Madison Elementary and Melanie Barkley, principal at Mill Creek Elementary, thanked the school board members for all the work they’ve done.
The voices of preschool students from Mill Creek Elementary filled the room as they sang a song for the board. Barkley recited an original poem that thanked each member of the board.
Rodney Richardson, principal at Horizon Elementary School proposed an on-site Onsite intervention and tutoring for students who have been identified as in need of extra help in math and science.
Richardson said the goal is to improve student achievement with on-site tutoring. He proposed to pair with Appleton Learning, who will provide onsite-tutoring services, 45 minutes a day for 12 weeks, for those 60 identified students.
Richardson said the cost will be around $60,000, but he has plans to acquire extra funding from other sources.
“It’s a win-win situation,” he said.
If approved, the program will pilot test at Horizon.
