“March For Students and Rally For Respect“
Central Services executive (cabinet level) staff has been evaluating the situation related to personal and bona fide other leave requests for May 16, 2018 for the last several weeks. As of noon, on May 10, 2018 Craven County Schools has 84 requests for leave on May 16, 2018. This is less than 10% of personnel and still less than the absences projected for May 11, 2018.
As the options were considered to support teachers on this day, Craven County Schools significant challenge was the instruction and supervision of students. As a result of high numbers of weather cancellations for Craven County Schools this school year, the district is currently right at the statutory required minimum of instructional hours for this school year (1,025). If school was missed on Wednesday, May 16th, it would then have had to be made up to meet the requirements of the law (either by adding minutes to the end of the school day for the rest of the school year or by making up a day on Saturday, June 2, 2018). Central services administration recognize that this is not optimal. However, Craven County Schools have no other options as we are already well below 185 instructional days for the 2017-2018 school year.
To date, Craven County Schools administration has not advocated cancelling school or changing it to a workday both because 1) the amount of personal leave requests have been relatively normal and because of 2) our situation and obligations related to North Carolina General Statute 115C-84.2 (North Carolina’s school calendar law).
As the options were considered for next Wednesday, the following actions were taken:
– Daily review of absence data
– Conducted a telephone poll of a representative group of principals
– 2 elementary
– 2 middle
– 3 high school
– Conducted a survey of staff members (839 responses)
Central Services cabinet considered five options based on the constraints on Craven County Schools and discussions with principals. Those options were (with the results following):
- Optional Workday on May 16, 2018: Student make-up day on Saturday, June 2, 2018. (14.3%)
- Optional Workday on May 16, 2018: Student make-up by adding 30 minutes to each instructional day from May 14 – May 31 (excluding May 16, 2018). (11.4%)
- Early Release Day on May 16, 2018: Student make-up by adding 15 minutes to each instructional day from May 14 – May 31 (excluding May 16, 2018). (3.7%)
- Regular School Day – Each school agrees that they will select a group of teachers (up to 20% including those who have already requested personal leave or bona fide time off) to represent them at the rally.) (33.3%)
- Do nothing different with the calendar and continue with the current number of teachers who have properly requested time off. (37.3%)
Based on the survey results, Dr. Doyle made the recommendation to do nothing different with the calendar and continue with the current number of teachers who have properly requested time off.
The Board of Education voted and approved option 5 to continue with a regular day of instruction based on the feedback of the survey and supports the staff who have requested leave.
Submitted by: Jennifer Wagner, Director of Public Relations, Craven County Schools