PaliHi Abandons Calendar Change

School officials announced Tuesday that next year’s academic calendar at Palisades Charter High School will not change, ending a controversial proposal that divided the administration and students, teachers and parents. ‘We have been reviewing and studying this matter in recent months and have concluded that there will be no calendar change for next year as proposed,’ said administrators and the UTLA in a joint press release. ‘Together, we will continue to review this and other issues with the purpose of doing what is best for our students.’ If the change had been approved, classes in the 2007-2008 school year would have begun on August 20 and ended June 6, rather than beginning in early September and ending in late June. Also, the first semester would have ended before winter break, rather than ending weeks after that break. The school announced the change after its latest round of negotiations with UTLA, the union which represents nearly all of the school’s teachers. The calendar change became a contentious point in negotiations. A union vote in December revealed that the faculty was evenly divided about the change. But in an April vote, teachers overwhelmingly opposed the change. Polls conducted by the school last fall showed majorities of parents and students opposing the change. The PaliHi Board passed the change with the expectation that an extra three weeks of instruction time before Advanced Placement tests and an earlier first semester final would benefit students academically. But opponents of the change said that it would conflict with the academic calendars of all other local public schools, jeopardizing families’ winter and summer plans. Some were also concerned with possible schedule conflicts for school sports. ‘I think the democratic process has been served,’ said Bud Kling, chairman of the school’s board and a longtime teacher. ‘All three stakeholders voted against it. To override that would have been a grave mistake. But I pity all those poor parents that changed their summer vacations!’ Despite the resolution of the calendar change, UTLA and PaliHi have not finished contract talks. The two sides will meet next week to complete negotiations. ———– To contact Staff Writer Max Taves, e-mail reporter@palipost.com or call (310) 454-1321 ext. 28.