Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
THE NEW members of the Ironwood Area Schools board of education were sworn in at Monday's organizational meeting. The new members, pictured here after the meeting, from left, are Brenda Agee, Marilyn Nezworski, Clancey Byrne and Caroline Delich.
By RICHARD JENKINS
Ironwood - Ironwood students will be starting school earlier next year after the board of education approved moving the first day of school forward Monday.
Classes will begin Tuesday, Aug. 27, for the 2019-2020 school year, according to the board's motion.
"I'm confident moving in this direction will give us a couple of advantages," said Superintendent Travis Powell, explaining it provides more flexibility in the rest of the academic calendar.
"Do we want to just end three days earlier, which makes a lot of sense. It gives us three days more of instruction before the M-STEP," he said, regarding the advantages. "It gives us flexibility in a way that having to follow directly with the (Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District) calendar doesn't."
Powell said he talked to the district's staff and most of the questions or concerns were things that could be addressed.
Powell said the change also means teachers will now get to decide when to use two of their professional development days normally used prior to the start of classes.
The flexibility will give staff more options as to how to use the professional development time, Powell said. He gave examples of summer training or collaborating with other teachers to develop curriculum as possible uses.
He told the board he plans to work with staff members to develop some academic calendar options with various ways to utilize the days for the board's future consideration.
In other action:
-The board approved an agreement with the GOISD continuing the career tech classes the district participates in.
-The board also approved an agreement with the Gogebic County Community Schools Education Association. According to information presented at the meeting, the agreement is a mirror of the ones the district has with its other bargaining units.
-Powell and/or board president Steve Thomas were authorized to sign any necessary documents regarding the closing of the sale of Sleight School.
-Powell recognized the board members for their work for the district as January is school board recognition month.
