Calendar, bell schedule are approved

Scheduling items were a big part of the Monticello School Board’s regular meeting Jan. 27 in the Administrative Board Room. 

First, the board approved a school calendar for 2020-21 that is similar to this year’s, with a few minor changes, including an additional professional development day before school begins, and moving parent-teacher conferences closer to the middle of each semester. 

State law dictates that school cannot start prior to Aug. 23, which this year falls on a Sunday. So Monticello’s classes will begin Monday, Aug. 24. The last day of school is set for Friday, May 28, 2021; with graduation to be held Sunday, May 30. 

The calendar calls for the holiday break to begin Wednesday, Dec. 23. Spring break will be March 15- 19, 2021. There are also 17 early dismissals, at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, for professional development. 

The other scheduling item is a new bell schedule for the 2020-21 school year, recommended by a six-person Bell Schedule Committee and approved by the board Monday. The biggest changes from this will be a move from an eight-period day to a seven-period day at the middle school. The other change will be to align the school days between the high school and middle school, with both beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 3:15 p.m. 

Changes in the start and stop times will result in about 10 extra class periods of instruction gained at the high school. At the middle school, it will mean about 56 extra class periods of instruction gained in core classes.

In other board business: 

• The board approved the five-year Strategic Operating Plan, discussed during the Jan. 8 board work session. The plan, formulated by several committees over a period of months, will address needs of the district in four strategy areas: School Facilities, Communication, Teaching and Learning, and School Environment/School Climate. 

• The board approved a resolution for a modified allowable growth request for at-risk/dropout prevention in the amount of $274,167. 

• The board approved a bid from Bradfield’s, Inc. of Peoria for projection systems for the new middle school classrooms, in the amount of $108,347.96. There were two bids received. 

• The board approved the second and final reading of a board policy pertaining to the use of seat belts on school buses. With seat belts being required now on the purchase of new buses, the policy discusses disciplinary options for students who ride without using seat belts. At this point, districts are not required to install seat belts in already-owned buses. 

• As part of the consent agenda, the board approved two resignations: Allison Kraus as freshman-sophomore softball coach, and Nikki Kraus as special education program associate. It also approved the appointments of Shirley Stadtmueller as bus driver, Logan Wells as assistant varsity girls track coach, and Luke McDonald as assistant varsity wrestling coach.