The Jefferson City Board of Education voted Monday to not move forward with weekly early release days for the 2021-22 school year.
The Jefferson City School District had proposed weekly 70-minute early release days on most Mondays to allow for more staff professional development time.
Instead, the board voted to approve a calendar similar to this school year's with six two-hour early release days for professional development.
The board approved the rest of the 2021-22 school calendar in February. The original calendar had virtual learning days for grades 9-12 on May 20 and 27 for Jefferson City High School to host state track meets. District leaders have since found out this is not an eligible use of virtual learning, so the district is now planning to have in-seat classes on these days for all grades, Chief Financial and Operating Officer Jason Hoffman said at the meeting.
The board also reorganized board positions and swore in re-elected board members. Ken Enloe and Lindsey Rowden were re-elected April 6 and are now beginning new three-year terms.
Enloe is now the president, Scott Hovis is the vice president and Rowden is treasurer. Brad Bates will serve as a delegate on the Missouri School Boards' Association, and Rowden will be the alternate for the MSBA position.
Ken Enloe and board member Lorelai Schwartz voted in support of the weekly early release days because district staff said it's what they need to improve student achievement.
However, other board members had concerns. Board member Stephanie Johnson said she was concerned about the financial impact it would have on families, Bates said he was concerned about the decreased instructional time it would cause, Rowden said she still had questions about the plan that weren't addressed, Hovis said he felt he didn't have enough proof that it would benefit students and Massman said she feels it isn't the right time to make this change.
In other business, the board voted to approve several contracts, including an energy performance savings contract with Navitas - which specializes in energy efficiency programs - for about $16 million to save energy and money. It will save the district about $510,000 in energy costs the first year, and the savings will increase each year after, officials said.
The board also voted to award contracts to the following companies: D.E. Martin Roofing Co., Inc. for a Thomas Jefferson Middle School roof replacement change order for $184,678; Desco Systems, L.C. for bathroom wall improvements at Capital City High School for $18,424; and Arete Contracting for kitchen renovations at Belair Elementary School for $54,588 or an alternate amount of $1,500.