ALPENA — The Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District Board of Education adopted a resolution during Thursday’s meeting in support of the AMA ESD five-year common calendar.

Superintendent Scott Reynolds said it’s part of board policy and law that there’s a common calendar. The policy affords Reynolds the ability to work with the local superintendents on the development of the common calendar.

“It’s important for a number of reasons,” he said. “It’s not just a matter of convenience, but there’s a service to the local districts by having some alignment within those dates where we have some additional assurances that we’re able to provide services whereas if everybody opted for different breaks, we might have some gaps to cover.”

Reynolds worked collaboratively with all of the local districts, Alpena Public Schools, Alcona Community Schools, Atlanta Community Schools, and Hillman Community Schools, to develop the calendar.

The AMA ESD has a four-year common calendar that was up for renewal and Reynolds said the new five-year common calendar was a culmination of collective efforts and is reflective of the local school districts needs.

The spring breaks in the new five-year common calendar do not align with Easter, but Reynolds said there’s a potential for the school districts to consider a mid-winter break that aligns with Good Friday and Easter.

“It will be up to them to make some decisions on that,” he said. “I think that it’s a challenge to find a calendar that meets everyone’s needs so we try to work on what’s going to meet the needs of the students and the services that they receive in the local districts.”

Reynolds said the superintendents do a great job putting everything into consideration. He said moving the spring break to the end of March is driven by the education leaders in the local districts and what will have a direct impact on the students.

“Based on the needs articulated by the local districts, they like the idea of having a shorter winter break and also having the spring break move up one week earlier,” Reynolds said.

The schools returned from spring break on Monday and standardized testing started on Tuesday. Reynolds said moving spring break up one week allows students time to get back to school, get in the routine of being at school, clear their mind and having the right mindset for the standardized tests so they can put their best effort forward.

The school districts can seek a waiver if individual circumstances do come up to make changes to the common calendar.

Reynolds and the other superintendents got together many times to collaborate and approve the common calendar.

In terms of a pre-Labor Day start for the schools, Reynolds said he has applied for a pre-Labor Day waiver on behalf of the local districts.

“I have not heard a response back from the Michigan Department of Education and there’s a process of going back and forth with them,” Reynolds said. “I’m not clear on where they’re going to side.”

In other business:

∫ the board approved the resignation of Assistant Superintendent Sue Grulke after 28 years of service at the AMA ESD effective July 1.

∫ the board changed the May AMA ESD board meeting to May 8.

Julie Goldberg can be reached via email at jgoldberg@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5688.

5 year common calendar

Year Winter Break Spring Break

2018-19 Dec. 24- Jan. 2 March 25-29

2019-20 Dec. 23- Jan. 1 March 30- April 3

2020-21 Dec. 23- Jan. 1 March 29- April 2

2021-22 Dec. 23- Jan. 3 March 28- April 1

2022-23 Dec. 22- Jan. 2 March 27-31