601 School Calendar

 

 
The goals and objectives of the school district are designed to achieve the mission statement of the school district.  Short-term and long-term objectives for the education program will be reviewed annually by the board. These objectives will reflect the results of the needs assessment, recommendations from the superintendent, changes in law, and any other relevant factors.  Annually, the board will report regarding the progress toward the achievement of the goals and objectives of the education program.

 

601.1 School Calendar

The school calendar will accommodate the education program of the District. The school calendar is for a minimum of one-hundred ninety two days and include, but not be limited to, the days for student instruction, professional development, in-service days and teacher conferences.

The academic school year for students is for a minimum of 1080 hours in the school calendar. The academic school year for students  will begin as allowed by current law. Employees may be required to report to work at the District prior to this date.

Special education students may attend school on a school calendar different from that of the regular education program consistent with their Individualized Education Program.

The Board, in its discretion, may excuse graduating seniors from up to five days of instruction after the District requirements for graduation have been met. The Board may also excuse graduating seniors from making up days missed due to inclement weather if the student has met the District's graduation requirements.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop the school calendar for recommendation, approval, and adoption by the Board annually.

The Board may amend the official school calendar when the Board considers the change to be in the best interests of the District's education program.

The Board shall hold a public hearing prior to adoption or amendment of the school calendar.

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Approved: 11/14/67

Reviewed: 6/10/13

Revised: 1/11/10; 5/13/19; 9/9/19

601.2 School Day

The student school day for grades one through twelve will consist of a minimum of six hours, not including the lunch period. The school day consists of the schedule of class instruction and class activities as established and sponsored by the District. Time during which students are released from school for parent/teacher conferences may be counted as part of the student's instructional time. The minimum school day will meet the requirements as established for the operation of accredited schools.

The Board may define the number of days T-K/kindergarten will be held and the length of each school day for the students attending kindergarten. The school day will consist of a schedule as recommended by the superintendent and approved by the Board.

The District may also record a day of school with less than the minimum instructional hours if the total hours of instructional time for grades one through twelve in any five consecutive school days equals a minimum of thirty hours, even though any one day of school is less than the minimum instructional hours because of a professional development opportunity provided for the instructional staff or parent-teacher conferences have been scheduled beyond the regular school day. Parent-teacher conference time is included in the total of instructional hours for the day, week and calendar total hours or days. Schedule revisions and changes in time allotments will be made by the superintendent.

The superintendent has the authority to determine which continuous remote learning opportunities are appropriate in accordance with the District's Return to Learn Plan as approved by the Department of Education.  The superintendent shall consult with the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Dickinson County Department of Public Health, Iowa Department of Education and Center for Disease Control for guidance, and may take additional precautions to keep staff and students as safe as reasonably possible.  Instructional time shall be consistent with the district's approved Return to Learn plan for students, classrooms, attendance centers or the district as a whole when engaged in a method of continuous remote learning.

When the school is forced to close due to weather or other emergencies, those hours of the day during which school was in session will count toward the 1,080 total hours required.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to inform the Board annually of the length of the school day.  If a parent or guardian of a student notifies the district in writing that the student, student's immediate family member or primary caretaker has a significant health condition that increases the risk of COVID-19, documented by their doctor, the superintendent shall make reasonable accommodation, on a case-by-case basis, for the student to attend school through remote learning.

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Approved: 11/14/67

Reviewed: 6/10/13; 5/13/19

Revised: 1/11/10; 2/8/16; 8/10/20