Palestine schools release 2023-24 Calendar
Mar. 24—With most area school districts adopting a four-day week schedule for next year, Palestine Independent School District faculty, staff, students and families have all waited with eager anticipation for the district to make known its plans for the future.
The district announced Thursday that the new calendar will retain the five-day week, albeit with significant changes which will add breaks and holidays without lengthening the school year..
"It could easily have been a quick decision for us to follow suit with all the other area districts," said Larissa Loveless, PISD Public Relations Director. "But what is right, or what works for one district, isn't necessarily the same as for another. Planning for 3,300 kids is different from planning for 300."
The district used information gathered by two separate staff surveys and one community survey to execute much of the planning. Factors such as the number of single parents, daycare availability and daycare cost were all factored in while making the decision to keep a five-day schedule.
"We have such a tight-knit community," Loveless said. "We had area employers inquiring as to which direction we would go so they could work on solutions for their employees. There were so many factors, and it all takes time."
The calendar is quite an accomplishment. While the planning committee kept the five-day week, with innovation and careful adjustments, it created a schedule that will make positive headway toward staff recruitment and retention, one of the main reasons so many districts are adopting the four-day week. Without starting the year earlier or ending later, the calendar allows for 34 student and staff holidays, 13 fewer staff contract days with no decrease in pay and 11 full weeks of summer vacation.
"We concentrated on efficiency and better utilizing tools and technology that is available to us," Loveless said. "The beauty of online technology is that we are able to do some innovative things with both students and staff. Our plan also better utilizes our support staff. We were able to put together an amazing plan by just doing things more efficiently"
Family input was a big part of the process. Public comments during school board meetings saw input from a wide cross section of the community, making the process more tailored to suit the needs of the district's students and families.
"We had to find a fit for Palestine," Loveless said. "Students need our eyes, hands and hearts connected to them as much as possible. In some cases it's as basic as whether some students are able to have a meal on Friday."
The new calendar shows a start date of Aug. 10 and an end date of May 17. Reflected in the schedule is a slightly shorter day for students at Palestine High School, Palestine Junior High and A.M. Story and a 15-minute longer day for students at Washington, Northside and Southside.
Thanksgiving Break is scheduled for Nov. 20 through Nov. 24, Christmas Break from Dec. 21 through Jan. 5 and Spring Break from March 11 through March 15.
Several four-day weekends are scheduled for both students and staff throughout the year.
"I'm so proud to be a part of the team that worked this out," Loveless said.
For more information call 903-731-8000 or visit www.palestineschools.org.
