School board approves calendar for next two years, keeps kids in class

Changes made to address concern over long breaks

The Gunnison Watershed school board approved the school calendar for the next two years at a meeting on Monday, May 13. The calendar committee decided to hold off on releasing its recommendation this year until after teacher contract negotiations ended last week.

The new calendar keeps kids in class for the state-mandated amount of time and breaks up at least one long period without classes that became a concern for some parents last year.
Working through the 2013-2014 school year, class in Crested Butte and Gunnison will start on the same day next year, August 26.  Staff orientation will align as well.
Superintendent Jon Nelson told the board that a district-wide staff development day was moved to September 27, “to try to keep it away from the Crested Butte break so that’s not extended too long.”
Crested Butte Community School’s fall break will again come on the same week as Columbus Day next year, the week of October 14. Crested Butte students will then be released early on Thursday and Friday, October 29-30, to allow time for parent-teacher conferences.
Gunnison students will have November 8 off for staff development and parent-teacher conferences.
“Again we’ll be taking the entire Thanksgiving week off,” Nelson said. “That seemed to be well-received at both ends of the valley. That aligns with [Western State Colorado University] as well.” Students will also get the two weeks off they’re accustomed to during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday, returning to school January 6.
A small change in the CBCS calendar comes with a staff development day that was moved up to January 17 to correspond with the Martin Luther King holiday on January 20. “Rather than having several three-day breaks, [CBCS principal] Stephanie [Niemi] opted to have a four-day break,” Nelson said.
The next change for Crested Butte is an early release March 25 and 26 for parent-teacher conferences. Otherwise the calendar for the next two years is pretty much the same as the current school calendar.
“I’m glad we emphasized the process we follow to make sure there was opportunity for input from parents,” board president Jim Perkins said.
To see it for yourself, visit www.gunnisonschools.net.