Testing affects school calendar

Standardized testing is affecting the attendance calendar for the spring semester and the 2015-16 version.
The parent-teacher conference day scheduled for March 13 was changed during the Thursday meeting of the St. Mary Parish School Board to March 27.
The change, Assistant Superintendent Teresa Bagwell, said is because Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers testing for English and math in grades three through eight will be March 16-20.
The adjustment “will ensure instructional minutes are fully utilized in advance of Phase I of PARCC testing, while still providing professional development and the opportunity for parents to meet with teachers on student progress,” Bagwell said in a written statement.
“Couple the late release of information (from the state department of education) with the fact that students will be tested a full month earlier than in the past, and it has become exceedingly apparent that the most effective use of March 13 would be as a full instructional student-teacher contact day,” Bagwell said.
Further, Bagwell said the school calendar that traditionally is announced and accepted at the February board meeting has been delayed because the state has not announced the testing dates for spring 2016.
The draft of that calendar is being reviewed by school personnel, but the spring schedule continues to be adjusted, she said.
It is anticipated to be introduced at the March meeting, Bagwell said.
In other action Thursday, the board approved bids for the Patterson and Berwick high schools rooftop air conditioner replacements. The low bid by Calcasieu Mechanical Contractors was $362,000. When adding the $27,000 engineering fee for the project, the total comes to $389,000. The board originally set aside $366,000 for the dual project. Thursday, board members added $23,000 to the project funding and accepted the bid.