Board sets school year for 1997-98

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

March 19, 1997

By Devlyn Brooks

Staff Writer

Bemidji School District students and staff received an early Christmas present Monday night -- a beautifully wrapped, red bow and all, two-week mid-winter break.

However, along with the gift, the School Board is also teaching students a valuable lesson: Nothing in life is free. Being the mid-winter break is an entire two weeks, the school year will be pushed into June, ending June 3, 1998, for students and June 4 for teachers.

The 1997-98 academic calendar, adopted Monday by the School Board, includes 182 staff working days, 172 student days and 169 kindergarten days, beginning Sept. 2 and ending June 3 for students. The year starts earlier for teachers, Aug. 26 with districtwide staff development, and ending June 4.

Superintendent Rollie Morud told the board the major change to the calendar since the first reading of it in February was the extension of the mid-winter break, and he suggested any other questions concerning the calendar be worked out after its passage. By state law the school's calendar has to be in place by April 1.

According to information provided to the board by Morud, students will have three vacation days in October, one for staff development and two for the Minnesota Education Association break; five days off in November, three for conferences and two for Thanksgiving vacation; eight vacation days in December, all for the mid-winter break; three days off in January, two for the mid-winter break and one for staff development; two days off in February for winter break; two days off in March for conferences; two days in April for spring break; and a vacation day in May for Memorial Day.

The end of the first quarter is scheduled for Oct. 31. The second quarter ends Jan. 22, the third quarter March 27 and the fourth quarter June 3.

High School conferences will be held Oct. 9, Dec. 4, Feb. 12 and April 30, all from 4 to 9 p.m. High School open houses will be held Sept. 4, Nov. 6, Jan. 22 and April 2 from 6 to 9 p.m.

The first Middle School conferences will be held Nov. 11 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. The second conferences will be held March 10 from 5 to 9 p.m. and March 12 from 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m.

Elementary conferences will be held Nov. 13-14 and March 12-13, and kindergarten conferences will be held Sept. 2, Nov. 12 and March 11.

High School graduation for this year's juniors is slated for May 30 -- only 14 months away.

In other action, the board:

• Heard a "Share the Pride" presentation by Middle School staff and students.

• Designated Assistant Superintendent Jerry Abbott as the district's authorized local education agency representative relating to Title I.

• Designated Special Education Director Jon Huttemier as the district's authorized local education agency representative relating to a number of federal programs, including Federal Flow Through, Preschool Incentive and Low Incidence Discretionary.

• Revised the 1996-97 revenue and expenditure budget, and made cuts of $800,000 in next year's budget.

• Heard a presentation by architectural firm DLR, which is studying whether there is a need for a new High School or Lincoln Elementary School.

• Approved payment of current bills and special checks and accepted two grants.