RADFORD – The survey results are in, and the Radford City School Board will be voting on next year’s school calendar at its upcoming board meeting on Tuesday, March 12.
The 2022-23 school calendar survey opened on March 9 and closed on March 30.
“The survey generated 216 responses. 59.3% of the respondents chose Calendar Draft A and 40.7% of the respondents chose Calendar Draft B,” the school division announced.
“There have been many factors to consider regarding the calendar and the school start and end times. The most significant factor is state mandated instructional time,” the announcement said. “Daily school schedules (opening/closing times) and the school calendar must support state mandates including a 180-day school calendar and, at a minimum, 990 hours of instruction. Radford City Public Schools has taken Calendar Draft A and slightly altered it as needed. Note that January 5 and January 6 are student days and are not professional teacher days. Professional teacher days were needed after each quarter to accommodate having deleted early release days.”
The new calendar will not have any early release for students on Wednesdays. The first days of school for students will be Monday, Aug. 15 and Tuesday, Aug. 16.
The start and dismissal times are as follows:
McHarg Elementary (PreK-2nd): 8:05 a.m. tardy bell; 2:15 p.m. dismissal bell (Doors open at 7:35 a.m.)
Belle Heth Elementary (3rd – 6th): 8:15 a.m. tardy bell; 2:25 p.m. dismissal bell (Doors open at 7:45 a.m.)
Dalton Intermediate (7th – 8th): 8 a.m. tardy bell – 3 p.m.; dismissal bell (Doors open at 7:30 a.m.)
Radford High School (9th – 12th): 8 a.m. tardy bell; 3 p.m. dismissal bell (Doors open at 7:30 a.m.)
“Radford City Public Schools are hopeful these times will not change,” the announcement reads. “However, the division is currently studying transportation for the next school year and may have to alter the start and end times depending on the number of students riding the school bus to and from school and the necessary route changes.
“Every effort was made to accommodate staff survey results, community survey results, state mandates, and a variety of other needs/wants. RCPS feels that these efforts have resulted in a well-thought-out 2022-2023 school calendar.”
The proposed calendar can be accessed at www.rcps.org on the home page by clicking the title: 2022-2023 PROPOSED CALENDAR.
Heather Bell
