No-waiver calendar could impact Linn-Mar graduation, spring break

MARION - Linn-Mar's traditional graduation date and/or spring break could become casualties if the district is forced to start the 2015-16 school year on Aug. 31, district officials said at the Linn-Mar School Board's meeting Monday night.

Both Linn-Mar Superintendent Katie Mulholland and Deputy Superintendent Dirk Halupnik told board members that an Aug. 31 start date would push Linn-Mar's currently scheduled 2016 graduation from May 29 into June.

Halupnik added that the U.S. Cellular Center is currently holding two dates for graduation, but that could change if a larger income-producing entity shows interest in one or both dates.

Two board members - Todd Hutcheson and Bob Crawford - also suggested that the district might have to trim or eliminate spring break in order to end the school year in a more timely fashion.

Following Iowa Department of Education procedures in place at the time, the Linn-Mar school board approved a 2015-16 calendar in early December that called for classes to start this coming Aug. 18 and end May 26. 2016.

Administrators also indicated they planned to apply for a waiver to start earlier than called for by law due to the use of an 'innovative calendar” that allowed the district to wrap academic quarters cleanly around breaks and intersperse teacher learning days throughout the year.

Shortly thereafter. the Department of Education, with prodding from the governor's office, announced it would clamp down on waivers and released clarifying rules that would eliminate a large number of reasons school districts were using to seek the waivers.

Without a waiver, current law calls for schools to start no earlier than the calendar week in which Sept. 1 falls. For this fall, the earliest legal starting date would be Aug. 31.

The board's focus then shifted to the Iowa Legislature, which has one bill eliminating the Sept. 1 language altogether and another substituting Aug. 23 and eliminating the use of waivers.

The Linn-Mar school board has not rescinded its December action, and administrators are still considering whether or not to file a waiver. Due date for waiver applications is March 15.

Also Monday night, the Linn-Mar board unanimously approved a five-year extension of the district's instructional support levy. The action followed a public hearing at which no comments were made.

Authority to use the property tax levy, which generates revenues to supplement the district's general fund, will now continue through June 30, 2021.

The levy amount is determined annually under a formula that also includes additional state aid.