Ironwood Schools approve 2022-2023 calendar

By ZACHARY MARANO

zmarano@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — Students at Luther L. Wright K-12 School will have a somewhat different academic year when they return from summer break in August. The Ironwood Board of Education approved the 2022-2023 school calendar at their regular meeting on Monday. Superintendent Travis Powell said this calendar has two notable differences compared to previous ones.

Powell said that one difference is that the first semester ends before, not after, winter break, ending on Dec. 21 this year rather than sometime in January 2023.

This means that secondary students will not have to worry about preparing for exams over break, as Powell said that the first semester exams will be held on Dec. 19-21. He also said that Dec. 21 will be a half day of school, providing an opportunity for teachers to wrap up the semester and have some professional development.

“We’re hopeful that this will help us have our scores, content and mastery of knowledge at a higher level if it can all be finished before break,” Powell said.

The second difference was the introduction of snow make up days on Feb. 20, March 20, April 10 and May 1, 2023. Powell said that these days represent an effort by staff to have “the least disruption to the school calendar” as possible.

Powell said the state allows up to six snow days per academic year and Ironwood Area Schools exceeded this limit over the 2021-2022 winter season. They requested exemption from making up these snow days, which was approved. However, Powell said they are required to take steps to prevent this from happening again in the future. He said that the snow make up days will serve this purpose.

Powell said that students will only need to attend classes on these days if the school has more than six snow days during the 2022-2023 academic year. If they have six or fewer snow days, then there will be no school and they will count as vacation days.

The superintendent said that the school will communicate with parents “as far in advance as possible” about which of these days, if any, will be used to make up snow days, so they will know when their students have classes and can plan accordingly.

The board also head an update on the adoption of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support framework to help struggling students from MTSS Coordinator Sheri Schmidt. Schmidt said that this system encourages teachers to acknowledge good behavior rather than punish bad behavior from students.

Schmidt said that MTSS also has teachers use very similar wording — for example, asking someone who is running in the hallway, “Is that how you’re supposed to walk?” — so the students hear the same things over and over and connect them with the desired behaviors.

Schmidt also said that after this system has been around for a while, a new teacher or substitute who is unfamiliar with the students may still be able to instruct them effectively simply by using the same words and phrases.

To help the students remember these behaviors, MTSS recommends using an acronym that reflects the school’s culture. Powell said that IAS staff came up with “RISE” — Respect, Integrity, Safety, Excellence — which connects with the school’s rallying cry “Red Devils rise up.”

“The whole point is to make it so everybody knows the expectations — staff and students — and anyone who’s an adult would feel comfortable reminding students about how to follow those expectations and will have the language to do that confidently and effectively,” Powell said.

Schmidt said that the school has successfully implemented the nine items assigned to them for their first year by Michigan’s MTSS Technical Assistance Center and they are starting work in other categories such as coaching and data systems.

Powell said Schmidt’s update showed a “tremendous improvement” in all categories compared to the initial survey that prompted them to apply for the grant from the MTSS center to adopt this framework. He said they will start introducing these concepts to the students in the fall.

The board also:

—Approved the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District budget. Powell said that the board of education of every school district in the ISD must approve the budget every year.

—Approved the hire of special education teachers Caitlin Pawlak and Nicole Yadon, and the hire of cook Lisa Ursini and server Mike Rimkus for the summer food service program from June 6 to Aug. 19. The board also approved the resignation of middle school advisor Cheryl Jacinsin and varsity girls softball coach John Lorenson.

—Acknowledged the donation of $1,500 from U.P. Educators for the school’s weight room upgrade.