FY25 School Year Calendar (10 minutes) vote required

Transcript (~4 min @ 17:12)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 17:06 Speaker 3: Helpful. Any other questions or concerns from the committee? Seeing none. All in favor that passes unanimously with seven in favor and none. And, um, that is all for finance and facilities tonight. Thanks for all your good work.

▶ 17:24 Margaret Raymond Driscoll: Thank you Mr. Kelly. Thank you Ms. Razzie Thomas. Next on our agendas Policy and planning subcommittee with Ms. De sel.

▶ 17:42 Speaker 6: Good evening and welcome to the policy and planning portion of tonight's, uh, agenda. We have one item in two parts, uh, this evening for consideration. The FY 25 school year calendar. Uh, by way of information there is a vote required. Uh, and by way of background, recall that, uh, last year we separated out religious holidays from the school calendar and provided a separate document outlining, uh, various observances, uh, that we know of. Not necessarily fully inclusive, but certainly more expensive than we have had in the past, uh, of our students and community. Um, in a second document, uh, you'll find first the school year calendar, uh, as bullet A on the agenda. And then one B, of course is the holidays and observances document At this time from Opus Mo for purposes of a, uh, of discussion, I would entertain a motion of approval. So, moved, Moved, uh, made by Mayor Broder, second by Mr. O'Connell. Any discussion? I Just, uh, Mr. Rezi Thomas, please.

▶ 19:01 Speaker 3: One comment, just that I wanna bring this up for, um, us to consider from a mental health perspective is that it's, I think, somewhat challenging, um, for students to start the year going for two days, stopping for a long weekend and starting. So I know that you know it, I just wonder if we should ever consider the way that that is structured. There's no easy way to start school, but it's kind of hard for some students to get all geared up. Go for a day, two days, a day and a half, whatever it winds up being with half days, et cetera, going home, thinking about it for four days. 'cause it's always a long weekend. Usually Labor Day and then get again, all geared up again. So,

▶ 19:51 Speaker 6: Uh, Mr. Superintendent, is there a time at which you begin, at what point do you start, uh, preparing the school calendar for the following year?

▶ 20:01 Speaker 8: So we would, we, I mean we began this year and Melrose has been doing it probably this time of year in November for, um, for next year. But you, I guess the question is, is how do we prepare to put this calendar together for you?

▶ 20:19 Speaker 8: Probably we started in October.

▶ 20:22 Speaker 6: Okay. And then the underlying question, uh, if I may, uh, Ms. Razzie Thomas, uh, take your question forward would be at what point next year then would you recommend this committee, uh, talk to the superintendent at that time about, uh, modifying school year?

▶ 20:41 Speaker 8: I would say I would if you, uh, what you have to take a look at too, within the calendar is what is contractually agreed upon? Mm-Hmm mm-Hmm. And so if you, and I believe we have, uh, we have done that in this particular calendar. If you want to make any of those changes, we would want to take a look at that, um, in negotiations.

▶ 21:04 Speaker 6: Excellent. And that was my thought as well. Yep. Any further comment or discussion? Seeing none.

▶ 21:12 Speaker 6: Motion on the table is to approve the ca school year calendar for fiscal, uh, school year 24, 25. All in favor. Motion passes unanimously seven four. And that concludes policy and planning this evening.

▶ 21:26 Speaker 7: Thank you, Mr. S.