School board sets 2013-14 calendar with Aug. 26 start date
JUNE 27, 2012 - The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education voted unanimously last night to choose the traditional option for the 2013-14 calendar. School will start on Aug. 26, 2013, and the last day is scheduled for June 10, 2014. You can see the final calendar by clicking here.
The board had considered a unified calendar that would start in early August, include two one-week intersessions for struggling students and allow high school students to take exams before Christmas. There was widespread support for the unified calendar from parents (55 percent favored it), teachers (56 percent) and principals, (79 percent) but the General Assembly has not modified the state law that says school must start Aug. 25 or later and end by June 10. The board was worried that the school system would not consistently be able to get waivers to start earlier, so members decided to stick with the traditional option.
The 2013-14 calendar includes 185 student days as required by state law. If the General Assembly does not provide funding for the five extra days, the board will ask for a waiver so that Oct. 31, Nov. 1, Feb. 17, March 28 and June 10 will be teacher workdays instead of student days. As of now, though, those are included in the calendar as student days.
The board also voted unanimously to adopt a preliminary budget for 2012-13 that includes $283.8 million in state funds and $111.3 million in county funds. The General Assembly passed its budget bill, and the school system is now waiting for Gov. Perdue to approve it or veto it. If it stands, the school system is about $5 million better off than planned, and employees will receive a 1.2 percent raise.
In other business, the school board recognized:
Alexis Summey of Mount Tabor High School. Alexis won the 2012 UNCF Scholarship.
Kimberley Park Elementary School for being featured in Michelle Obama’s book, American Grown.
Thirty schools for winning the 2012 Winston-Salem Clean & Green Excellence award.
The board also:
heard a report about preliminary results from end-of-grade and end-of-course tests.
heard a report about trends in Advanced Placement courses and the school system’s market share.
heard a report about trends in teacher experience in Equity Plus and non-Equity Plus schools.
voted unanimously to appoint Arnold King to the Forsyth Technical Community College Board of Trustees.
voted unanimously to adopt a budget amendment and transfer.
voted unanimously to approve a standard mode of dress, or uniforms, at Carver High School. Students will wear black or khaki bottoms and dark shirts.
voted unanimously to approve a pilot program for blended learning at Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy. Blended learning means a mix of classroom and online learning; the program will be run with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
voted unanimously to award a temporary employment services contract to Carolina Placement, Inc., for 2012-13. Carolina Placement will employ new employees in clerical positions, skilled trade positions, information technology positions and teaching assistant positions for 90 days before the employees are transferred to the school system’s payroll. The company will provide health insurance or a $100 stipend to the employees and provide background checks.
voted unanimously to revise Policy 3250.2: Student Fees. Several new fees will be put in place, including an exam fee of $104 per exam for each International Baccalaureate exam; an International Baccalaureate registration fee of $35; $45 for driver’s education; and $14 to take the PSAT. Fee increases include $3 for school pictures; 50 cents for cap and gown rental and purchase fees; $20 for the music summer enrichment program; and $5 for auto-tech and carpentry uniform t-shirts. The fees for student accident insurance will decrease.
voted unanimously to renew and extend a drivers’ education contract with the N.C. Driving School.
voted unanimously to approve two change orders for the Career Center.
voted unanimously to dispose of surplus mobile units and vehicles.
