“The Affton Board of Education voted unanimously on Tuesday to make the district’s last day of school June 3, instead of June 6.

After six snow days, district policy pushes the end of school back into June and cuts April 25 from the school’s Easter break. Interim Superintendent Ken Weissflug proposed, however, that the district not bring students and teachers back for an ineffectual last day on June 6, a Monday.

This allows Affton’s summer programs to begin on time in the second week of June. Camp Cougar will start June 6. Secondary summer school starts June 7. Elementary summer school will begin on June 13, so teachers have time to prepare their rooms.

Before Weissflug made his proposal to the board, the administration did a poll of teachers asking whether they would rather not have school on June 6 and instead have a half-day on their April 22 holiday. The poll found that 94 percent of teachers preferred this plan to returning for a final day on June 6.

Weissflug, however, recommended that the board both end school on June 3 and allow teachers and students to keep their April 22 holiday in full, as a “good gesture” to teachers.

This will put this year’s calendar below Affton’s proscribed standard of 178 school days, but still keep the district well above the Missouri state minimums of 174 instructional days and 1044 hours.

The board unanimously approved Weissflug’s recommendation, bringing cheers and smiles from the few teachers in the audience.”

Printed in the Affton-Shrewsbury Patch on March 25, 2011

Article by Andrew Dana Hudson

Original Article