PCSD amends school calendar

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The second semester at Perry County School District will look much different in January.
During the November meeting, the Board of Education approved an amended school calendar, which would allow the students to be on campus for five days per week.
“Right now, it’s hard to wrap your head around it because there is so much that these teachers do,” Assistant Superintendent Jeanie White said during the meeting last month. “It’s not about asking the teachers to do more, but what can we do so they can do less? When the teachers spend this semester planning in-school and out-of-school assignments, there’s a lot of planning going on. So how can we help the teachers and still provide the proper instruction?”
The academic calendar was amended by collaborating with a group of teachers, community members and board members Nancy Voelker, Mary Bauwens and Ashley Geringer.
Along with the new format and schedule around the campus, each of the buildings will have a different plan for how to deal with the increase of students in each building.
Perryville Primary Center — All students in Grades PK-2 enrolled in Pirates On Campus will attend classes in school five days a week, Monday-Friday, beginning Jan.5. Pirates At Home will continue to provide instruction by a certified teacher through our virtual learning platforms. Depending on the numbers enrolled in Pirates at Home, student-teacher assignments may need to be modified. A child’s building principal and classroom teacher will provide additional details before break. 

Perryville Elementary School — All students in Grades 3-5 enrolled in Pirates On Campus will attend classes in school 5 days a week, Monday-Friday, beginning Jan.5. Pirates At Home will continue to be provided instruction by a certified teacher through our virtual learning platforms. Depending on the numbers enrolled in Pirates at Home, student-teacher assignments may need to be modified. . The child’s building principal and classroom teacher will provide additional details before break. 
Perry County Middle School — All students in Grades 6-8 enrolled in Pirates On Campus will attend classes 5 days per week during second semester, utilizing a modified block schedule. Pirates At Home can opt to return to campus and receive a regular schedule for the spring semester where they attend 5 days a week.  Pirates choosing to remain at home will continue to use Edgenuity software for completing coursework online. Those Pirates At Home students returning to on-campus instruction should contact Mrs. Michael-Ann Buchheit, middle-school counselor, to create their class schedule no later than Dec. 5.  Your child’s building principal and instructors will provide additional details before break.
Perryville High School — Students in Grades 9-12 will be on a rotating A/B schedule with Flex Wednesdays becoming student-attendance days. This means each student will be on campus 5 days per each two-week period: two days one week and three days the next week. Pirates At Home will continue. to receive instruction through Edgenuity.  Your child’s building principal and instructors will provide additional details before break.
Perryville Area Career and Technology Center — Students enrolled in agriculture courses and 3-hour block courses  will be on a rotating A/B schedule with Flex Wednesdays becoming student-attendance days. This means each student will be on campus 5 days per each two-week period: two days one week and three days the next week. Pirates At Home will remain on the same remote/virtual learning platform: Google Classroom.  Your child’s building director and/or instructors will provide additional details before break.
Parents should indicate whether they wish to change or keep their students’ educational choices for second semester, with the options remaining Pirates On Campus or Pirates At Home. All parents are asked to complete the enrollment form they have received via email from their child’s school office. One form should be completed for each student. If a parent has not received an emailed form, please call your child’s school office at 573-547-7500. Students should receive information about the second semester format before the holiday break.
With the amended calendar, it also changes how the district will approach snow days. There are no make-up days in the amended calendar, meaning that in the event of inclement weather students will receive virtual instruction.