Livingston’s Board of Education met on Monday, March 20, to continue discussing the 2023-24 academic calendar.
After receiving feedback from parents and Board members at last week’s meeting, superintendent of schools Matthew Block presented an amended academic calendar. Parent-teacher conferences at the elementary level have been moved to January, and a February professional development day will now take place in November.
“[This] leaves February as a clean month other than February break,” Block said before explaining that the February break remains a “debate” in the community.
“The priority was for us to begin school as early as possible, which is the day after Labor Day,” he said before explaining that staff would be required to return in August. “Something we’ve worked with the Livingston Education Association for many years [is] if we bring our staff back in August, that we have a winter break.”
Parent-Teacher Conferences Board member Pam Chirls suggested that parent-teacher conferences remain in place throughout the school year with an option for parents to opt out.
“I do think we should be getting more information from our parent community to determine what is the best way forward,” Chirls said. “With all of the concerns we’ ve had about... learning loss, behavior challenges at all levels of our district, I don’t know why wewouldtake away that element of communication that is so critical.”
It was also recommended that Block work with teachers in finding alternate times to hold the conferences. Parents have explained to the Board that a half-day approach overlaps with a standard work day schedule and, according to Block, can disrupt instructional time for students. But holding conferences in the evening, for example, would require teachers to work beyond contracted hours, Block said.
Board member Seth Cohen disagreed with other members, saying that parents can prompt desired dialogues with teachers: “I believe we live in a world where information and people are at our fingertips at all times. The ability to reach out to a teacher exists at all times.”
According to Board president Vineeta Khanna, some parents have reported that some teachers are unresponsive after reaching out. Block recommended that parents contact the school’s principal when a teacher cannot be reached.
Though, at last week’s meeting, several parents and Board members agreed that structured conferences may solve the communication issue.
“What I hear is that we can’t leave it to chance,” Block said. “We have to make sure that it’s happening.”
Khanna noted that the district is seeing an increase in English Language Learner students, signaling a need to offer those families extra support.
The Board will next meet on Tuesday, April 18.
The Tribune. Written with Livingston in mind.
