This past Monday, March 27th, the Winn Parish School Board met for their regularly scheduled committee meeting, with a special call to follow immediately afterward.
Winn Parish School Board
Committee Meeting Agenda
March, 27th, 2023
WPSB Meeting Room–5:30 p.m.
Academics and Instruction
- Review the report of the school calendar options for the 2023-2024 school year.
Before receiving the report, Superintendent Al Simmons addressed the room with personal comments concerning the four-day school calendar, as well as an explanation of policy and procedure for the evening. Simmons then moved into the report, which included details about the three sample calendars up for discretion.
1.) 170 days total for the school year. Five-day school week. Current to what we have now, with only slight variations throughout the years.
2.)150 days total for the school year. Four-day school week. Those days require thirty-eight extra minutes of instruction to achieve the yearly credit.
3.) 153 days total for the school year. Five-day school week beginning the new year, reverting to a four-day school week after Labor Day (9/24). Those days require thirty-one extra minutes of instruction to achieve the yearly credit.
No action was taken during the committee meeting. The board adjourned and moved into the special session to take action on a calendar for the ’23-’24.
Winn Parish School Board
Special Meeting Agenda
March 27th, 2023
WPSB Meeting Room
- A) Invocation
- B) Pledge of Allegiance
- C) Roll Call
- D) Order of Business
- E) Consider Adopting a Calendar for the 2023-24 school year
- F) Adjourn
After adopting the order of business, Underwood (District 11) motioned to adopt the five-day school calendar for the 23-24 school year, which was seconded by Scott (District 2). After this motion, the board took public comments—allowing anyone that filled out the public comment cards provided at the beginning of the committee meeting, allotting three minutes to speak on behalf of their concerns. As a result, eight individuals stood before the committee. They shared their sentiments, research and even apprehensions regarding the four-day school calendar and the quality and future of our student’s education. Immediately following, Vines (District 5) moved to strike out the previously made motion for a five-day calendar and to adopt the one hundred and fifty-three day in its place. The motion to strike passed.
After our superintendent clarified the actions taking place and explained the reasoning behind no pay raises in the history of our current system, the board began considering the one hundred and fifty-three, four-day calendar proposed. Then, after a brief delegation, voting commenced.
Those who voted in favor;
Lacey McManus/District 1 (318-302-2427)
Steve Vines/District 5 (318-413-1253)
Michael Riffe/District 6 (318-302-3171)
Joe Llaine Long/District 7 (318-413-4614)
Patrick J Howell/District 8 (318-623-8612)
Dan Taylor/District 9 (318-451-0456)
Those who voted against;
Harry Scott/District 2 (318-542-6294)
Amber Cox/District 3 (318-471-7783)
Michelle Carpenter/District 4 (318-413-2757)
Lance Underwood/District 11 (318-374-0505)
The four-day school week, one hundred and fifty-three-day calendar passed for the ’23-’24 school year.