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Peoria Public Schools students return to class next week under new academic calendar

Jeff Smudde
/
WCBU

Most Peoria Public Schools students will head back to class next Wednesday. That's much earlier than in years' past.

It's the first academic year the district is operating under a modified calendar approved earlier this year by the school board. Students will return to class two weeks earlier in August, but in exchange, will see extended fall and spring breaks.

Peoria Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat said those longer breaks will be beneficial for many students.

"During fall break and spring break, one week of academic supports will be provided. And (if) parents do want to send the children and I would recommend, especially the children who are in need of additional supports, send them that first week of fall break," she said. "And we'll provide meals and we'll provide small group supports and project-based learning and personalized learning for them, as well."

Kherat said her staff is preparing "nonstop" for the calendar change, distributing signs and knocking on doors to get the word out.

She said PPS is rolling over registrations from last year, eliminating the need for most kids and parents to stand in long lines in the August heat to register for classes. She said getting kids up to date on vaccinations also is key.

Kherat said nine schools are fully staffed ahead of the start of the new year, with 10 core positions unfilled district wide. She said long-term substitutes will fill those gaps.

"Overall, I would say that actually, it could have been worse. And so I'm really pleased with that, with those current stats," she said.

Kherat said substitute certification fees are currently waived, making now a good time to become a sub. Permanent subs make $180 per day.

The district is looking strong on bus drivers, too, with no signs of the shortage that forced the district to convert to a shortened, three-tier bell schedule as students returned to classrooms following COVID-19 remote learning.

"We're back on the two-tiered schedule. The kids are getting all of their hours. And so we're very, very excited about that," said Kherat. "I'm very excited about that. We're ready to go. We are ready to go with bus drivers, as well."

She said the district is fully staffed on bus drivers, but could still use more substitute bus drivers. In a pinch, the transportation department's office staff are trained to drive a school bus, but Kherat said more subs could head off that scenario.

Kherat said the district has bought new textbooks for the new school year, including algebra, biology, chemistry, and geometry. The district's Black History 365 curriculum will be expanded to middle schools this year, too.

She said the district's K-8 classrooms also are getting flexible seating.

"We used a lot of money to invest in furniture for our students and staff because some of the furniture, they were very old, like 50, 60 years old," she said.

More information about Peoria Public Schools' return to class can be found on the district website.

Tim is the News Director at WCBU Peoria Public Radio.