News Brief: Board Approves School Calendar, Certified Teacher Agreement

School for the 2012-2013 school year will begin August 16 and end May 20.

The Mehlville school board voted 5-2 to approve the calendar at Thursday’s meeting.

Next fall’s calendar will include eight two-hour early dismissal days for teacher development.

The calendar meets the state’s minimum of 174 school days; 87 in each semester.

Board members Ron Fedorchak and Venki Palamand voted against the school calendar. Fedorchak proposed a calendar with 180 school days, the national average.

He said the extension would require an additional budget of $408,960 and move the school start and end days to August 13 and May 23.

Fedorchak’s motion died because it didn't have a second and the original calendar was approved.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, the board voted 5-2 to approve an employment agreement with certified teachers for the 2012-2013 school year.

“On behalf of the Mehlville teachers, I’d like to thank the board for working with the Mehlville NEA (National Education Association) through the meet and confer process to develop a contract for the 2012-2013 school year,” said Mehlville NEA President Laurie Brickey during the open comments period.

Brickey said 93 percent of teachers voted to approve the agreement.

Check back next week to see why board members Fedorchak and Palamand voted against the agreement. 

Also coming next week, the board approved Phase II of the district’s and Superintendent Eric Knost gave an update and a solar energy program for the district.