The District 309 School Board voted Monday to amend a policy in its new intervention contract relating to academic status.
East Peoria Community High School students who enter into the contract because of drug or alcohol problems can avoid expulsion if they comply with several rules detailed in the contract. One rule requires a student to pass at least five courses each quarter.
Board members agreed the language of the rule didn’t give students enough time to improve their grades.
“It built up an instant failure to any kid without giving them a chance,” said board President Michael Joseph.
The language of the rule has been changed to read that after a student has entered into the intervention contact, he or she has until the following quarter to pass a minimum of five classes. This will give a student a complete grading period to improve his or her academic status.
In other action Monday:
– The board adopted the calendar for the 2010-2011 school year.
Classes begin Aug. 18. Spring break is scheduled for the week of March 21, 2011, about a month earlier than usual because of a conflict of testing dates for the Prairie State Achievement Examination. Those testing dates for juniors are April 26-27, 2011.
Typically, the high school schedules its spring break around the Easter holiday. Next year, with the holiday falling later in the month, the board and school administration thought teachers and students would not be adequately prepared for such high-stakes tests coming back from a break.
The last day for seniors is May 17, 2011, with graduation on May 21, 2011. The school year ends two days later on May 23, 2011, if no emergency days are used.
– Superintendent Cliff Cobert updated the board on the progress of the school’s 39,000-square-foot addition. The move-in dates have been pushed back about two weeks.
The tentative plan is for lunch to be served in the new cafeteria on March 15, with classrooms being moved over spring break and occupied when staff and students return April 6.
Leslie Williams can be reached at 686-3188 or [email protected].
Read the original article from Journal Star.
Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services