Central approves 2015-16 school year calendar

Members of the Central R-3 School District Board of Education have finalized the calendar for the 2015-16 school year.

Board members voted unanimously Monday night at the panel’s regular meeting to approve the schedule.

It calls for students to attend class a total of 174 days in 2015-16.

The first day of school is scheduled for Aug. 20. The final day of classes is set for May 18. The last day of school is to be a half-day.

Open house will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 17, at Central Elementary School, and from 6 to 8 p.m. that same evening at Central Middle School. Open house will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 18, at West Elementary School and from 6 to 8 p.m. that same evening at Central High School.

Superintendent Dr. Desmond “Desi” Mayberry said a high school graduation date for 2016 will be scheduled later, after officials have a total on the number of snow days for 2015-16. He expects that will be set around March 2016. Board approval is required.

As far as the current school year, Central students will wrap up 2014-15 on May 29. School originally was scheduled to let out for the year on May 15.

The final day of the year had to be changed, however, due to snow days. Classes have been called off a total of 12 times so far in 2014-15 as a result of inclement weather. Central students will make up nine of those days. All have been tacked on to the end of the school year.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education mandates that school districts in the state make up each of the first six days missed because of inclement weather in any given school year. After that, they only have to make up one day for every two days missed, up to a total of 10 days.

If Central racks up any additional snow days, the final day of school would be June 1, regardless of the number of added snow days.

Graduation has been set for 7 p.m. May 21. The ceremony will take place at the T.J. Foulon Field House on the Central High School campus, at 116 Rebel Drive.

In other news, members of the Central Lady Rebels basketball team were recognized Monday for their victory Saturday night. The team nabbed the MSHSAA Class 3 girls basketball state championship, defeating Cardinal Ritter 55-19 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia and becoming the first basketball team from an MAAA Conference school to win the first-place trophy since the Bismarck boys took it home in 1944.

As team members walked up to be honored, meeting attendees gave them a standing ovation.

Coach Josh Mapes thanked everyone from the players, the students and the students’ parents to the community for supporting the basketball team. He then sent out a special shout-out to the seniors on the team.

“I love you guys. You guys are very special to me,” Mapes said. “I’ll always remember you seniors. You’re the start of something big.”

He said when players walked out onto the court Saturday to see that the stands were full of spectators dressed in Central red, it bolstered their spirits.

“Our kids were ecstatic,” Mapes said. “They were pumped up.”

Mayberry said the victory is indicative of the effort put forth by team members.

“They were deserving champions. They’re excellent school citizens,” Mayberry said. “It’s just an example that hard work can and does pay off. The whole school community is very proud of them.”

Board members also voted unanimously to allow district leaders to apply for Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) funding.

A non-profit employment program dedicated to helping at-risk youth graduate from high school and successfully transition to post-secondary educational institutions and meaningful employment, JAG was started 35 years ago, according to an overview of the program. It is a voluntary in-school program that serves as an elective.

Mayberry said it is too soon to say how much money the district might request. A local match is not required.

At one point, Central received JAG financing. Mayberry said that was about 2007 or 2008. The funding then became unavailable about 2008 or 2009, he said.

Members of the Central Lady Rebels high school basketball team pose for a photo Monday night with members of the Central R-3 School District Board of Education (in back) during the board’s regular monthly meeting. 

Clementine Carbery is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-518-3616 or ccarbery@dailyjournalonline.com