Perrysburg school year to start Aug. 29 in 2012
Date is week later than 2011 starting date
12/28/2011PERRYSBURG -- Next year, school will start Aug. 29, one week later than the current school year, in the Perrysburg district.
The Board of Education approved a traditional school calendar last week following a lengthy discussion on whether the district should change the start date or even use two separate calendars for younger students and high schoolers.
At the high school, the main issue was to finish the semester sooner so students could take final exams before winter break. But in the elementary schools, teachers were concerned about starting school earlier in a hot August without air conditioning.
School board President Walt Edinger said he was disappointed that the district hadn't switched calendars so exams were moved earlier to December.
"Those who took their courses very seriously were up for the semester break before Christmas. Those who don't study for their exams anyway think it's just fine," Mr. Edinger said, after he heard high school students talking about the calendar. "If that's our approach, its just fine the way [it is]. I think that sends a different message than no, this is really important."
Students will finish class June 5 in the 2012-2013 school year.
However, school officials said they will revisit whether to change the calendar in the future as all of the school buildings, except for the junior high, are expected to be air-conditioned over the next five years.
Currently, only the high school and Woodland and Ft. Meigs elementaries are air-conditioned.
In September, Superintendent Thomas Hosler pitched a staggered calendar so that high school students would start earlier than everybody else.
The district later calculated that it would cost $20,000 more.
For the first time, a committee of parents, students, and teachers studied the issue and looked at six separate options before recommending the calendar back to the school board, which approved it unanimously at its Dec. 19 meeting.