Due to mold issues delaying the start of this school year, the Board of Education approved minor changes to the 2023-2024 school calendar to comply with state laws on instructional hours and teacher work days.
Before presenting calendar change recommendations to the Board, the district surveyed staff for feedback.
The Board approved the staff's recommendation to convert two early release days, September 20 and October 18, into full instructional days. This added back six instructional hours, leaving 18 hours still needed to meet the state requirement.
To make up the remaining 18 hours, the Board agreed to survey staff and families on several options:
- Adding 6 minutes to the beginning and end of each school day
- Adding 12 minutes to the end of the day
- Adding Saturday half days
- Changing November 22 to a student day
- Changing December 20, 21, and/or December 22 to student days
- Changing January 2 to a student day
- Changing June 7 a full day instead of early release
Deputy Superintendent Lowell Rogers told the Board, "The state Department of Public Instruction and Superintendent Catherine Truitt informed us that by law, we must meet the required instructional hours outlined in the calendar statute. We were not granted a waiver.”
The calendar changes also ensure teachers work the required 215 days, including student days, teacher work days, and annual leave days.
A survey will be sent out later this week to all District families and staff.
ABSS Strategic Plan
The District is continuing to work on its strategic plan through 2029 to guide academic and operational priorities over the next several years. The working document, which is the result of numerous community meetings over the summer, outlines key focus areas including:
Safe and Supportive Learning Environments
Staff Recruitment and Retention
Mastery Teaching Practices
Maximized Learning Pathways
Community Partnerships
Productive Citizens
Over the coming months, the District will be developing goals, action plans, and metrics to track progress within each focus area. The strategic plan represents a collaborative effort between District leaders, staff, students, families, and community members. By concentrating on these key areas, the District aims to foster student growth and achievement, recruit and retain top talent, and strengthen community ties. The strategic plan will serve as a living document to drive decisions and measure success across the District.
New Assistant Principal
The Alamance-Burlington School System Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Butler appointed Dr. Nicolette Harris today as the new Assistant Principal at Broadview Middle School. Dr. Harris, who has served as the Behavior Coach at Broadview since 2022, will begin her new role this week. She started her career as both an elementary and middle school teacher in ABSS. During her time at Broadview, Dr. Harris has also worked as a Beginning Teacher Mentor and Test Administrator.
Vacant Board Seat
The Board of Education took steps today to fill the vacant seat left by former Board member Patsy Simpson, who resigned earlier this year.
"I'd like to see us move quickly but intentionally. Having that empty seat is a disservice to our community," said Board Chair Sandy Ellington-Graves.
The Board announced that it will accept applications to fill the vacant seat from September 12 through October 9, 2023. Interested applicants can submit letters of interest by the 5 p.m. deadline on October 9th. The selected candidate will serve the remainder of the term, which runs through December 2024. The Board hopes to appoint Simpson's replacement as soon as possible to restore the Board to its full membership.