No makeup days required

Students in the Central Valley School District can relax. They will not be required to make up the three days of school missed during the never-ending snowstorm last month.

The district’s board of directors voted Monday to waive the days, assuming an official waiver is granted by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Approval is expected because of the declared snow emergency, said Superintendent Mike Pearson. Teachers, however, will be required to make up the days because of their contract. The district will negotiate with the teachers union and schedule teacher training or in-service days to make up the time.

Pearson said families are worried that any change in the school schedule will impact planned vacations and activities. “We’re getting many, many calls from parents and students,” he said. There’s the question of whether many students would show up for any additional days scheduled. “We anticipate our absenteeism rate would be higher than normal,” he said.

Adding days on Saturdays or holidays would be expensive. Classified staff would have to be paid triple time for working on holidays and time and a half for working Saturdays. “Personally, I wouldn’t encourage us to look at that,” Pearson said.

Board members discussed adding three days to the end of the school year, but ended up dismissing the idea. “It has to be quality time,” said member Debra Long. “I think we can serve our students better by offering staff development.”

Other meeting topics:

•The district has been struggling to replace 650 cases of beef that had to be destroyed after it was recalled. The district spent $33,100 for the beef and processing charges. The district will only be reimbursed $19,000 for the purchase of the beef from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, said Duane Smilden, supervisor of nutrition services. The district is currently waiting to hear if the USDA will reimburse the money spent on processing fees.

“The hard part for me is replacing that food,” said Smilden. The meat was originally bought on the cheaper commodities market, but now the district has to pay up to one third more for beef on the open market. Plus, kids are not eating the beef like they used to. Since the district found new suppliers and put beef back on the menu, the number of students eating dishes like sloppy joes and nachos with beef has dropped significantly. “Now it’s just a matter of getting the kids to realize this isn’t the same product.”

•The board also approved a new fee schedule with little discussion. It raises the rates for before- and after-school care, extended-day kindergarten and summer school. Parents of children age 5 to 11 will now pay $220 per month for before- or after-school care (up from $195) and $410 per month for both before- and after-school care (up from $385). Half-day child care and preschool will increase to $350 from $325, and full day will rise to $656 from $540. Preschool only will rise to $270 per month, up from $250.

Toddler child care will increase to $370 per month for half days and $600 per month for full days. Infant child care will go up to $415 per month for half days and $675 per month for full days. Extended-day kindergarten will cost between $280 and $290 based on income.

Summer school for middle school students will cost $140 for a half-day class. Summer school rates for grades 9 through 12 remain unchanged.

•Board members also approved an addition to the graduation requirements that allows students to walk in graduation if their WASL scores are delayed or lost in the mail. Students must petition their principal with details of extenuating circumstances.