New legislation requires Lenoir County Schools calendars to run a minimum of 185 days or 1,025 instructional hours long.
The board has opted for the latter.
“It would be a hardship to fund five extra days through transportation, mainly,” said Diane Lynch, LCS associate superintendent. “Our schools go over 1,025 hours pretty significantly.”
One representative from the county’s 18 schools formed the calendar committee in November, and the 2013-14 instructional calendar was adopted at Thursday’s board meeting.
The 2012 Senate Bill 187 begins in July, which includes a number of requirements for the schools’ calendars.
“They want to increase the time that children were in school,” LCS Superintendent Steve Mazingo said. “We do exceed (1,025 hours) at every school. We’re not just doing the minimum.”
Previously, schools were given the option to have either 180 or 185 days with 1,000 hours minimum of instruction time.
“Our schools go over 1,025 hours pretty significantly,” Lynch said.
Mazingo cited a Lenoir County school that recorded as many as 1,080 hours last year.
Principals submitted materials outlining plans to use instructional time before the 2013-14 calendar was presented before the board.
“My staff is so devoted and passionate about what they do,” said Susan Glover, Moss Hill Elementary School first-year principal. “They’re in those classrooms using every teachable moment, and they don’t waste any time.”
She was confident every school in Lenoir County will reach or exceed the new requirement.
“I don’t worry at all about students at Moss Hill getting the instructional hours needed,” Glover said.
Other presentations at this month’s board meeting included a child nutrition surplus property. Unfixable cafeteria equipment was recommended to be sold and the proceeds will go back into the Child Nutrition Program.
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.