PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2022

C O V E R S T O R Y

SUMMER VACATION SHRINKS IN PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS New school calendar meets with mixed opinions

BY LISA COON PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

Y ard signs and billboards can be seen across the city of Peoria, reminding residents that classes in Peoria Public Schools are starting earlier than ever in the district that serves close to 13,000 students. The 2022-23 school year begins Wednesday, Aug. 3 for students, two weeks earlier than in past years. Teachers report Monday, Aug. 1 for two institute days before pre-K through 12th-grade students return to classrooms following a shorter summer break than at other Peoria area districts. The shift to a modif ied school ca lendar fol lows the Board of Education’s 4-3 vote last February in support of the change. There will be longer fall and spring breaks – two weeks – and a shorter summer break, 42 days rather than the 54 days under a traditional calendar. Thanksgiving and winter breaks remain the same. Peor ia Super intendent Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat said the move was discussed for several years as school leaders heard community feedback regarding a longer year and more educational opportunities for children. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

District 150 leaders looked at various districts across the state and country, including Rockford, Il linois, and Brown County, Indiana. The calendar also was piloted for a year at District 150’s Harrison School, which has been renamed Annie Jo Gordon Community Learning Center. “What we learned is that modified is a better fit for us,” Desmoulin-Kherat said. “We were pleased with the result we saw fromHarrison’s pilot … Their data reflects a decrease in office referrals and a heightened morale.” Desmoulin-Kherat said the modified calendar shouldn’t be confused with a year-round school calendar or a balanced calendar, which has schools operating in 45 day stretches with three-week breaks in between. “The modified calendar allows for the same number of attendance days as a traditional calendar, but the pie is more evenly distributed to allow for rest and respite and additional support for those students who need it,” she said. The new calendar, Desmoulin-Kherat said, also provides the following: • Opportunities for high school students to catch up and make up failing grades; • More one-on-one educational

support at the K-8 level; • Break-away time for families at multiple points in the year; • An extra two weeks for college visits by high school students; • A reduction in summer learning loss; • A chance for students and staff to focus on overall well-being; • A potential decrease in discipline issues; • A reset after each break to reinforce positive behaviors. A VOTE AGAINST THE CHANGE Gregory Wilson, who was recently re-elected to the Peoria Public Schools Board of Education, was board president at the time of the calendar vote. He was one of three board members in opposition. His concerns were that “some of our families were not able to voice their opinions on the modified calendar,” he said. “We have close to 13,000 students, so about 7,000 families, give or take. Their voices weren’t heard. We only saw four or five parents routinely attend meetings to express their views.” A petition opposing the change was posted online at change.org and received 782 signatures of parents,

34 AUGUST 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE