By Sarah Campbell
scampbell@salisburypost.com
The Rowan-Salisbury School System will attempt to clear up some confusion about scheduling options Monday during the Board of Education meeting.
The director of assessment and accountability, Colby Cochran, will make a presentation to try and clear up misconceptions about the options for making up school days missed because of winter weather, Rita Foil, the districtís public information officer, told the Post in an e-mail.
Cochran ěwill summarize the recent revisions, plans for making up any more missed school days and provide background information that highlights the complexity and constraints of the current N.C. General Statute regarding the public school calendar,î she said.
Cochran, who serves as the school calendar committee facilitator, said the school system has received a number of ěsuggestionsî about how to make up missed days.
Those suggestions include adding days to the school year, extending the length of the remaining school days to make up missed time and building make-up days into the calendar and then ending the school year earlier if they are not used for inclement weather.
ěI am going to provide information … that will explain why our local board of education nor the superintendent has the authority to make up missed schools days by doing such things that have been recently suggested,î he told the Post in an e-mail Friday.
State law mandates students attend school 180 days. Class cannot begin before Aug. 25 or end after June 10.
Lisa Wear, director of Horizons Unlimited, will also present an overview of NC STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), the school systemís STEM initiatives, and the Mathematics and Science Partnerships Grant Program.
The STEM program supports 21st century teaching and learning by engaging students in digital-age learning. It creates innovative and sustainable educational initiatives.
The Mathematics and Science Partnerships Grantís goal is to improve the science knowledge of students in high need school districts by providing professional development for their teachers.
The grant would provide more than $900,000 in funding to support professional development.
Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.