TOMS RIVER-Parents and teachers of the Toms River Regional School District expressed frustration and disappointment after the school board released their 2018-19 schedule.
With the currently approved schedule, students and faculty will be in school until June 24th. Other districts in the county have earlier endpoints. In return for a shorter overall school year, some called for the end to a week-long break during the first week of November to accommodate for Election Day and the annual NJEA teacher’s convention.
Other contentious days included the September holidays of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, both Jewish holidays.
“Every year our students get out later and later, there are days like the week in November, we’re closed for election day and teacher’s convention, why not go to school for those other two days,” said one teacher who spoke at the January meeting. “There are a lot of days we could go to school but we’re off..when you’re getting out the 24th of June, it’s late.”
Another speaker, also a teacher said with school in the district not having air conditioning, the heat in those schools is a concern to her.
School Board Member Chris Raimann said “I did vote for the school calendar and would like to revisit it down the road.”
School Board President Russ Corby said the board would discuss the schedule and changes could be possible. “We’ll revisit it the best we can,” Corby said.
“There is no reason for the kids to have an entire week off in November. I feel like my son barely goes to school with all the ridiculous days off,” said resident Eva Marie on Facebook. “There is no AC in these schools and being on the second floor in June is unbearable for these kids and teachers and I know that on those days hardly anything gets done in the class because it’s miserable. Whoever is voting for these schedules needs to be voted out because they clearly don’t have a clue.”