Teacher planning days to be used for furlough in Jackson system
The Jackson County School System will use three teacher planning days for its state-mandated furlough days.
The furlough days for the county school system will be Friday, March 12; Thursday, April 1; and Friday, May 28, which is the last day of teacher post-planning.
Superintendent Shannon Adams said in a statement on Thursday that should school days be missed due to inclement weather conditions, those days will be switched to furlough days — allowing the district to regain the same number of planning days.
Gov. Sonny Perdue recently announced a mid-term budget for the 2010 fiscal year that includes three additional furlough days for teachers and most other state employees before July 1. Already, school systems have taken some furlough days this school year.
“We regret having to implement these mandates, but ultimately we know that such measures are necessitated by the ongoing economic crisis brought about by shortfalls in state revenue,” Adams said in a statement.
The Jackson County School System tried to schedule the furlough days so that student learning would be minimally impacted and to provide as little disruption as possible for students, parents and the community, he added.
The latest round of furlough days will apply to instructional staff, such as teachers, counselors, media specialists, technology specialists , Pre-K resource coordinators, nurses and paraprofessionals.
Like the previous furlough days, the district will spread the salary reductions throughout the remainder of the 12-month payroll period.
Other employee categories, such as administrators (except for 12-month certified personnel), clerical, maintenance, food service, transportation (including bus drivers), custodial, central registration, and technology support will apply for furlough days using the AESOP program with supervisor approval required, Adams wrote in his statement. These days must be applied for and taken prior to the last week of school.
Certified employees who are on a 12-month contract will be required to take two additional furlough days, for a total of seven days.
1)the teachers/administrators don't know who has passed, how well they did last year, etc...
2)New students move into the system and have to register
3)Schools are typically cleaned (carpets, waxing floors, etc...) during the summer.
4)New curriculum's are implemented during the summer. Plans as to how to improve the education are made in the summer.
5)Grass/buildings/maintenance needs continue during the summer.
6)Band/Basketball/football/weightraining/camps happen during the summer
7)Typically new additions/inside construction is done in the summer if it can be done.
8)Teacher training (mandated by the State) is done during the summer. Someone has to train them.
9) Teacher Handbooks/Procedures are put together during the summer.
10)Bus routes have to be put together during the summer-(Can you imagine trying to put those together in a couple of days?)
I could go on and on.....