Whitnall Calendar Decision Causes More Confusion

The hours of deliberation at forums and meetings and results of a district-wide email survey over Whitnall School District's start and end times ultimately did nothing to help the make a decision Monday night.

Confusion over procedure resulted in a fall back to the contentious January decision to drastically change the daily schedule.

In January, for teachers and administrators by making the following changes to the daily schedule:

• The high school day shifts from a 7:15 a.m. start and 2:18 p.m. dismissal to 7:45 a.m. start and a 2:45 p.m. dismissal.
• The middle school will shift from 7:45 a.m./2:50 p.m. to 8 a.m./3:05 p.m.
• The elementary schools move from 8:40 a.m./3:22 p.m. to 8:35 a.m./3:35 p.m.
• In addition, on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month, the high school and middle school would start one hour later, and the elementary schools would experience an early release by an hour and 20 minutes every Wednesday.

The schedule changes had and some said they were not given enough time to digest the information or weigh in with their thoughts.

The board was to discuss and possibly take action Monday night on an amendment to the schedule—offered by former board member Mike Clarizio at the March 12 meeting. The .

The amendment was tabled March 12 when the Board decided to send out a district-wide survey to parents and use that information to help guide their calendar decision.

School Perceptions, administers of the schedule survey regarding the calendar, told the board and audience at Monday's meeting that parents at all three levels – elementary, middle and high school – preferred half-days each month over early release or late starts. The survey was sent electronically to all registered email addresses of parents with students in the district. A kiosk was also set up at the high school. Of the approximately 1,100 emails sent out, the district received 535 responses, and dozens of pages of comments.

For the full results, click here.

When it came time to vote, confusion set in almost immediately. Before board members could discuss the amendment, they had to take it "off the table." Veteran board member Bernard Shaw and newcomers Eileen Valaitis and Quin Brunette voted in favor of removing it from the table, and allowing discussion to take place. TJ Anderson, Nancy Zaborowski and Suzette Larson voted against the motion.

When it was time for Stephanie Richter to vote, she hesitated and asked for clarification. Anderson said roll had been called, and that Richter needed to cast her vote. When pressed, she abstained and the motion died.

For the next 1 minute, 20 seconds, audience members whispered among themselves as Zaborowski, the board president, did the same with Superintendent Lowell Holtz.

“As of now, the motion that was on Jan. 23 stands,” Zaborowski finally said.

“Is there anyway of reversing that?” Brunette asked.

“Not tonight,” Zaborowski said.

Later, Brunette asked that the 2012-13 calendar issue be put back on a future agenda.