No. 145      Institute for Learning

Brief Explanation:

All secondary schools are authorized to operate a minimum day schedule four days per school year. The purpose of these days is to permit staff inservice programs, staff program planning, and student-teacher conferences.

The following provisions are required when conducting minimum days for students:

1. The minimum day for students enrolled in comprehensive secondary schools shall be not less than 240 minutes, inclusive of passing time but exclusive of lunch periods and nutrition periods or breaks.
    

2. The minimum day for students enrolled in continuation and opportunity schools shall not be less than 180 minutes, inclusive of passing time but exclusive of lunch periods and nutrition breaks.
    

3. The 240-minute requirement does not include ROP or courses conducted by a community college or passing time to or from ROP or community college courses.
    

4. The teacher’s workday is not abridged by the establishment of minimum day schedule.
    

5. Cafeteria lunches must be provided for those pupils desiring to purchase lunches and for those pupils eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Lunch does not count as part of the 240-minute minimum.
    

6. Schools must provide telephone coverage during the afternoon.
    

7. Schools must provide written notice of their preferences at least two weeks in advance (see attached form). Four copies of the notice are to be prepared. One copy should be sent to the Instructional Leader for review; the second copy should be sent directly to the Transportation Department for processing; the third copy should be sent to Pupil Accounting, Room 3202, Eugene Brucker Education Center; and the fourth copy is to be sent to School Police Services.
    

8. Schools sharing the same bus route on the same time schedule must select the same conference days in order to avoid conflict for bus services.
    

9. The number of buses available for minimum-day support is limited. Transportation will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis by written request from schools. It is possible that some requests cannot be supported by Transportation Services.
    

10. In the event that a particular day is oversubscribed, schools will be required to reschedule their minimum days to other dates in order to receive bus service. Schools should not notify parents, staff, or students of specific days for conferences until receipt of written confirmation from the Transportation Services Department is received. All changes should be submitted to Transportation Planning. Please wait for approval of the changes before announcements are sent home. Transportation may not be able to support changes made at the last minute.

Bus service in support of minimum days will be scheduled in the most cost effective manner due to budget limitations. This often results in different buses and drivers servicing schools on minimum days. Therefore, schools should closely supervise procedures at their loading zones on these days.

The Transportation Services Department will provide written notification to each school when buses are scheduled for conference days. Schools should contact the Transportation Services Department (858-496-8475 or 858-496-8460) if they have questions or concerns regarding this procedure.