School board adds eight more early-out days to calendar

CLOVIS - Amid regular staff shortages and a reduced pool of substitute teachers, the Clovis school board agreed Tuesday to add eight more early-out days to the second half of the district instructional calendar.

Mitzi Estes, deputy superintendent of academic services and leadership, told the board at its regular meeting the district has 47 teaching openings with 21 at the elementary level. The extra duties the existing teacher slate is taking to cover those shortages, Estes said, is cutting into professional development time. That's no small issue with 90 teachers trying to move from Level I to Level II certification.

The proposed calendar added the following dates as Wednesday early-outs, with elementary dismissal at 12:30 p.m. and secondary dismissal at 1 p.m.:

• Feb. 9, 16 and 23

• March 9 and 30

• April 14 and 27

• May 11

That's in addition to previously scheduled early releases on Feb. 2, March 2, April 6, May 4 and May 26. All early release dates, except for May 26, include professional development and data meetings.

Estes said she knew such a move would create childcare issues for parents, and that the district wanted to give families as much advance notice as possible on the move.

In response to questions from the board over childcare, Estes said the district was working on ways it could help cover those gaps. But she noted the district would need some level of outside help.

"We'd really welcome a partnership with our community to support educators at this time," Estes said.

Board member Shawn Hamilton agreed the childcare issues would be difficult for families, but noted the board's focus in times of staff shortages is to take care of the staff that remains.

In other business during Tuesday's meeting:

• The board heard four selections from Clovis High's choir, with Music Education Director Brandon Boerio noting 70% of choir students and 60% of band students who auditioned were named to an all-state position.

• Clovis parent Josh Parkin asked for an update about the state's social studies standards. Superintendent Renee Russ said she didn't have the information right in front of her, but said she has talked to deputy secretaries with he Public Education Department and felt confident the PED was taking into consideration the large amount of feedback it has received on the matter.

• The board approved a revision to its Title IX policy. Joe Strickland, deputy superintendent of employee services, said the only revisions were adding contact information for himself and Tori Blair. Strickland is the point of contact for concerns raised by staff, while Blair is the point of contact for student-initiated concerns.

• Loran Hill, the district's director of operations, reported the district had 101 instances of either COVID-19 positive cases or quarantined close contacts between Nov. 17 and Nov. 30, down from 206 Nov. 10-23 and 215 Nov. 3-16. The district, Hill said, had a staff vaccination rate of 67% and student vaccination rate of 8%.

Hill added that as of Jan. 17, the definition of fully vaccinated for school employees will require a booster shot. Those who choose not to get vaccinations will still be required to submit to weekly testing.

• District Judge Benjamin Cross swore in the board members elected in November - Sharon Epps in District 1 and Cindy Osburn in District 2.

• The next meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 25.