BRADFORD — The Bradford School Board had a special meeting Tuesday to discuss revising the start of the 2020-21 school calendar back to September 8.
Bradford Schools Superintendent Joe Hurst and building Principals Matt Triplett (JH/high school) and Michelle Lavey (elementary) went over the restart plan Bradford is going to be using before they voted on the new school calendar.
School board member Maria Brewer questioned moving the start date to September 8.
“I understand that Darke County wants us to wait until after the fair, but we have around 20 students that are going to be participating in the fair that’s not really the fair,” Brewer said. “They are social distancing, they are wearing masks, they are not in big groups, there is not going to be a midway open for them, they aren’t going to have concessions, things like that
“So, we are trying to change our whole school schedule forward advanced eight days to accommodate less than 20 students who are social distancing and showing animals or whatever they are doing at the fair. But, we have football players, a group of 30 or more, that are not social distancing, tackling, in huddles, doing whatever they do without masks on. and we are not postponing school until after football is done.”
“I just think it is a double standard for us to postpone school that far just for fair kids, who aren’t really having a fair. And we are going to be missing some parent teachers conferences. There are things that are very important that I just think we are postponing all of this that far. I listened to the governor today and he said he is letting schools make up their own minds.”
“I know he is making us wear masks, but other decisions, when starting school, if you are doing online, not doing online is up to us. I just hate there wanting us, the only Darke County school going to school during the fair to change our voted on district calendar just for that. I don’t think it is a good idea to start a couple weeks later than we are normally starting. I don’t think it is helping anyone by starting that late,” Brewer added.
Brewer also noted that Bradford’s JVS students would be starting school in August as well.
When asked about Miami County schools, Hurst noted that Milton-Union, Piqua and Troy are starting September 8 and Tipp City is starting August 31.
“I would think it is a potential help to solve some of the problem,” he said “I still think it is a good idea. It is going to give us a little time between when mandates come out and when we get kids in the school.”
The board then passed revising the calendar by a 4-1 vote.
