LAKEPORT — The school board is set to talk tonight about what day students will report back to class from summer break next academic year.
Members of the Lakeport Unified School District (LUSD) Governing Board will meet at 6 p.m. at the district office, and their first regular agenda item is consideration of the 2012-13 school calendar.
The district calendar committee created two choices: starting school Aug. 15 and ending May 31, or beginning Aug. 27 and stopping June 14.
Both start dates differ from the one used for the current academic year, which was Aug. 24, 2011.
Each option offers its own positives and negatives, according to the committee.
The Aug. 15 date would let students get a jump on the summer job hunt, align Lakeport schools with other county districts and community colleges, and result in classified employees receiving no June paycheck.
The earlier start would also allow more teaching time for high school students preparing for the California High School Exit Exam and Advanced Placement (AP) tests, which are scheduled for fixed times during the year.
“Our 68 AP students are at a disadvantage the later the start date,” Clear Lake High School principal Steve Gentry said.
Gentry added that he plans to attend tonight”s board meeting but not advocate for a particular option.
An Aug. 27 start would allow classified employees to get a June paycheck and give high school students time to work later into the summer in industries like agriculture and tourism.
The committee reported presenting both options to employees and receiving votes from 129 out of 160 workers. The final tally had 68 in favor of Aug. 15 and 61 for Aug. 27, according to the committee.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) joined the discussion during its regular meeting Tuesday at the Lake County Courthouse.
District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown said Lakeport students “are missing out on a great opportunity” to work in the pear sheds.
The BOS approved sending a letter to the school board in support of starting classes in Lakeport as late as Sept. 4.
“The availability of jobs for student workers prior to the Labor Day holiday provides an important opportunity for students to learn skills and develop a work ethic that will enhance the future labor pool in Lake County,” the letter stated.
The LUSD board will continue the debate tonight. Its public meeting will be held at 2508 Howard Ave. in Lakeport.
