Students at Batesville Community School Corporation will be in class longer for a week in April.
The accumulated snow days forced local school administrators to adjust the calendar to meet the states mandated 180 days of instruction. Without adjustments to the calendar, the last three school days would have been Monday, June 2, 3 and 4.
Batesville Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts revealed his recommendation for a calendar change to the School Board of Trustees at the school board meeting Monday night.
Students will make up the latest snow day, Monday, March 3, by going to school for an extra hour a day for a week.
The longer school days will be Monday, April 14 to Friday, April 18, and also on Monday, April 21. Roberts explained that longer school days that week can benefit students preparing for the next round of ISTEP testing.
The extra hour will be added to the end of the day, school officials confirmed.
Batesville will also utilize a two day waiver granted from the Indiana Department of Education for missed days on Jan. 6 and Jan. 7. This will allow the school year to conclude on Friday, May 30.
School board members approved the measure, as board member Steve Stein cited, “I believe this makes sense. I believe that one day in June is always a wasted day.”
The decision comes one week after Franklin County Schools implemented an additional 40 minutes to school days from Monday, March 17 to April 16. The last day of instruction for Franklin County students is May 30.
More news from the Monday’s Batesville School Board Meeting >>
Only three school board members were present, as members Wanita Linkel and Ray Call were absent.
Batesville Primary School Upgrades
A proposal to renovate and make repairs to Batesville Primary School was approved by the school board. The 25-year-old building is in need of maintenance upgrades such as a boiler replacement, new cooling system, roof repairs and up-to-date building controls.
The school will seek construction bids with the goal of not exceeding $2 million. The upgrades cost a taxpayer $32.10 that resides in median home value in the school district of $172,000.
School Board President Chris Lowery said the maintenance upgrades can position the school to become more energy efficient.
Lunch Prices
Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts will travel to Washington D.C. on March 30 and 31, and will speak with legislators about the school lunch program. On Monday, school board members were informed that the USDA Food and Nutrition Service will require the school to raise lunch prices.
The current average weighted price at Batesville is $1.54, school officials will be forced to raise that to at least a $1.60 next school year. A decision will not be made until Roberts returns from the nation’s capital.
Recognizing Top Student-Athletes
Batesville student Will Amberger received a Wrestling Jr. Academic All-State award. Fellow wrestler, Neal Nobbe, received an honorable mention.
Even without a pool, Batesville swimmers continue to succeed in the water and in the classroom. Students Zach Hall, Graham Hunter, Ally Ritter and Matt Weiler are Academic All-State award winners.
Board President Chris Lowery said the nominations continue to show Batesville as a school of student hyphens; student-athletes, students-performers, “But their students first, and it is good to see their family supporting that and coaches helping with that.”
