School calendar changes outlined

The District No. 2904 School Board on Tuesday approved a Memorandum of Understanding concerning calendar changes for this school year — changes necessary during the two-year infrastructure project that will affect both the high school and elementary school. The board will take on future potential changes for the following school years at a later date.

To allow contractors more time to complete the infrastructure projects, a number of changes were recommended Tuesday. Construction will affect the very end of this school year and will ultimately alter scheduling for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years. There will also be a number of classroom changes.

This year, the last day of school for students will be on Friday, May 19, (five days earlier than normal). Construction at Tracy Area High School will begin on Saturday, May 20, except allowing people to enter the vestibule and hallway to the gym for graduation on Sunday, May 28. Construction will commence on the south side of Tracy Area Elementary School on May 13, and on the north side on May 20.

Instructional time missed by students will be made up by utilizing “Professional Learning Community” (PLC) time and the “Ramp up” time, which will add an additional 88 minutes each week (only for the high school). This proposed solution will not require the student day to be lengthened for the spring of 2023.

Lost staff development during the normal PLC time will take place after students leave the building. Students in grades 10-12 who normally come to school at 9 a.m. on Friday will now be required to report at 8 a.m. on Fridays. All other school start times and dissmssa times with remain the same for all students for the remainder of the current school year.

The following are details of how this will work:

• 81 days left of school assuming there is no school May 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26.

• 388 minutes per day or 6.5 hours per day x 81 days = 31,428 minutes or 523.8 hours under normal schedule

Total School time for 22-23:

• Student Contact Days: (Scheduled: 174) – (No Student Contact Days: Dec. 22, Dec. 23 and (May 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 for construction dismissal) = 167 Student Contact Days (1,107.1 hours)

for 2022-2023. Need 165/1020 hours. TAPS currently is over by two days and 87.1 hours as of Jan. 11).

2023-2024 school year:

• Start school four days late (Sept. 11, 2023) and end school four days early (May 17, 2024).  This would equal nine fewer days to the calendar, or 165 total days.; 9 days x 6.5 hours = 58.5 hours of missed time or 3,510 minutes

2024-2025 school year:

• Start four days late (Sept. 9, 2024). This would equal four days fewer to the calendar or 170 days; 4 days x 6.5 hours = 26 hours of missed time.

Added class changes:

• 2022-2023: (Allow contractors into the south side of TAES on May 15) May 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 2023; move TK to open room at TAES; move Kindergarten to Pre-School rooms at TKW & Gym at TKW; move first grade to the VMC; PE will need to be outside; music will need to be moved; last day of class will be May 19.

Added Class Changes: 2023-2024 at TAHS: (Allow contractors to finish hallway at TAHS (7th grade & 8th grade hallway)

• Students will need to access Band (room 210), Choir (room 211), AG Shop (212 & 213), Welding Shop (room 204), IT (room 203), IT Classroom (room 202) and English room (rom 201) from outside until Sept. 29, 2023.

Added Class Changes at TAES 2023-2024 at TAES:

• To finish hallway south of gym boiler room, teachers lounge, music room and PE office will not be able to be used until Sept. 23, 2023.