Monday, January 24, 2011

2011-2012 School Calendar

The 2011-2012 School Calendar was approved by the Sioux Center Community School District Board of Education at the regular monthly meeting on January 17th.  Highlights of the calendar need to be brought to the public’s attention.  Here are some of the highlighted changes for the 2011-2012 school year.

The school year will start on August 24.  This is the corresponding date to the two previous school years.  Prior to the 2009-2010 school year the district started school one week earlier.   Construction projects at the high school and at Kinsey Elementary school required the start date to be moved back one week. . As the calendar for next year was designed the start date of the fourth week of August seemed more appropriate than the earlier start..

Professional development is extremely important to the success of our teachers and student achievement.  There will be a one hour early release for professional development every Wednesday of the school year.  Kinsey Elementary School will dismiss at 2:05 and the middle school and high school will dismiss at 2:15 every Wednesday.  These one hour early outs are used for teacher collaboration time.  Research on student achievement has demonstrated that teachers need to collaborate with their peers regarding the development of lessons, the practice of lessons, and the sharing of student work.  In the 2012 school year there will be one half day early dismissal for professional development on April 27, 2012.  Students will not be in school on October 7, 2011, February 17, 2012, and April 10, 2012 as these days are designated as full day professional development for school staff.

Traditionally the third Monday of February has been a day of no school in observation of President’s Day.  President’s Day will remain a day of no school unless the district misses a day of school for inclement weather prior to President’s Day.  Additional days missed due to inclement weather will be made up within the school year with April 21st and April 25th, the Thursday and Monday of Easter break, being the make up day.  Beyond these days, all snow days will be made-up at the end of the school year as in the past.

Dates of Note include:
  • August 24, 2011 – First day of school
  • October 28, 2011 – End of the 1st quarter
  • November 8 and 10, 2011 – Parent Teacher Conferences
  • December 23, 2011 to January 2, 2012 - Christmas Vacation
  • January 13th, 2012 – End of the 1st Semester
  • January 16th – Begin the 2nd semester
  • February 28 and March 1, 2012 – Parent Teacher Conferences
  • March 21, 2012 – End of the 3rd quarter
  • April 5, 2012 to April 10, 2012– Easter vacation
  • May 20, 2012 – Commencement Ceremonies
  • May 24, 2012 end of the 4th quarter

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Inclement Weather Information (make up days)

Here is the schedule to make up the days that have been missed due to inclement weather.


November 22, 2010 will be made up on President's Day, February 21, 2011
January 10, 2011 will be made up on April 21, 2011 (Thursday of Easter Break)
January 11, 2011 will be made up on April 25, 2011 (Monday of Easter Break)


Any days missed from today, January 11, 2011, to the end of the year will be made up after the scheduled last day of the year.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

EMERGENCY BUS ROUTES

EMERGENCY BUS ROUTES
2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR

Under certain road conditions, buses may need to run on the hard surface roads only.  Announcements of emergency bus routes will be on KSOU (1090 AM, 93.9 FM) and KDCR (88.5 FM) and TV.  These routes are listed below.  It is not necessary to ride your normal bus; you may ride the route that is most accessible.  Please take time to look over these routes to find the bus that works best for you.  Times are listed with each route to give you an approximate time of arrival. 
In town, we will run the regular routes stops. 
After school the buses leave the High School at approximately 3:25 p.m.  Parents need to be at their intersection to pick up their child(ren).  If parents are not at their intersection, their child(ren) will be taken back to school and you may pick them up there.-If you have any questions, call the Bus Barn:  722-2481