3/5/14 - The Howell School Board got to discuss the status and challenges of the district at a special meeting last night. Board President Mike Witt tells WHMI the work session allowed the board to address questions of student achievement and enrollment without violating the Open Meetings Act. The board discussed the current status of the district, including indicators like MEAP scores and the condition of the bus fleet, before moving on to the challenge of declining student enrollment. The district is anticipating that this year's graduating students will outnumber new kindergarten enrollment in the fall by more than 200, adding to the more than 600 students already lost since 2009. Board members put forward goals and ideas to increase school of choice enrollment, including new programs like an Air Force ROTC, fostering a community atmosphere among parents at specific schools, and focusing more on vocational training. Mike Witt told the board he would like to implement a âbalanced calendarâ system within two to four years, reducing summer break to six weeks and spreading small vacations around the school year. He says this would improve achievement among students by reducing the amount of time spent recovering from summer breaks. Last night's meeting comes only a little over a month after the Facilities Committee recommended that the district close Southeast Elementary and merge its student body with that of Three Fires Elementary, laying off several teachers in the process to compensate for the reduced student body. That recommendation was met with opposition from teachers and parents, who spoke against it during last night's meeting. However, while Witt says it is being considered, the board only mentioned the option in passing during the actual discussion. (TD)
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