by Kate Evans
The Morgan County School Board is seeking public input as they decide on the details of the 2024-2025 school year calendar. School board members had their first public hearing on the calendar on March 5.
Assistant Superintendent Jeromy Duelley, who has taken over the school calendar responsibility from School Treasurer Ann Bell, discussed the draft calendar’s features and the results of an online survey the public can take about holiday options and partial days.
There were no public comments at the first calendar hearing. Anyone wishing to comment on the school calendar can do so at the second school calendar public hearing, to be held on March 19.
Two calendar options
The draft school calendar has two different versions this year, with one destined to be the final calendar. Duelley said that the main difference between the two calendar options is the last day of school and Christmas break.
Calendar option 1 has a two-week break at Christmas which begins on Monday, December 23 and runs through January 3. Students would return to school on January 6.
Calendar option 2 has an eight-day break at Christmas starting on December 23 and running through January 1. Students return on January 2.
The last day of school for the 2024-2025 school year would tentatively be Friday, May 30 in calendar option 1 and Wednesday, May 28 in calendar option 2.
Other features
Both calendar options include a full Thanksgiving break from Monday, November 25 through Friday, November 29 with students returning on Monday, December 2.
There is also a full-week spring break in both calendar options running from Monday, April 14 through Friday, April 18. Student would return on Monday, April 21.
The first day of school for students would be on Tuesday, August 20 in both calendars. Staff would return to work August 12.
Faculty senate days in the 2024-2025 school year with a two-hour early dismissal for students would be October 4, December 20, February 14 and April 11.
Professional learning days for staff, with no school for students, would be scheduled on August 15 and 16, October 23, January 15 and March 26.
Public comments
The second calendar hearing will take place at the March 19 school board meeting, beginning at 6 p.m. at Paw Paw Schools for their Strategic Plan Update. The school board will formally adopt the 2024-2025 school calendar that evening after the second public hearing.
Comments can be given at the March 19 meeting and can also be sent to executive secretary Betsy Buser at 304-258-2430 extension 2018 or email her at bbuser@k12.wv.us with their comments.
Calendar survey results
The school calendar survey had 343 responses. Some 141 parents, 171 employees, 12 community members and 19 students responded, Duelley said.
The majority of survey responders said that they’d like a full Thanksgiving break (297) and a full spring break (302), he said. Spring break could need adjusted due to snow days that have to be made up.
Most survey participants (238) preferred the calendar option 1 with the longer Christmas break and the May 30 last day of school. 281 of them also preferred early dismissals over two-hour delays for faculty senate meetings or staff professional development, Duelley said.
Comments on the survey included thoughts about snow days or non-traditional instructional days, the start and end of the school year, breaks, requests to mirror Berkeley County Schools calendar and other topics.
Duelley met with Jefferson County and Berkeley County school officials about the school calendar. All of the Morgan County Schools breaks mirror both counties’ school calendars. The faculty senate days and professional learning days are a little different, he noted.
