The Karnes City ISD School Board voted unanimously at the regular February 11 meeting to approve the new 2008-2009 school calendar, and to pilot a nine-week grading period.

"We took three options for the staff to look at," Superintendent Frances Penland said. "We are driven so very much by what the state tells us we have to do with start times and testing dates."

The district’s first day of school will be August 25, and the last day will be May 28.

"So with the schedule you (Penland) are proposing, there is not a week of spring break and instead there are two days in March with an early out?" asked Karnes City ISD Board of Trustees Vice President Sharon Purser.

Penland then added that it was a split decision between the staff.

"And there was a lot of discussion about that… that was really among the professional staff at the elementary and the secondary level," Penland said. "They were evenly split when it came to spring break, with the elementary and the secondary, and it was the site-based committee that swung it to what is now."

The two days off in March are actually compensatory staff development days. Compensatory staff development days are when teachers or staff work in the summer they will be compensated for the three days (two in March, one in May) that students will also have off.

The district will also pilot a new nine week grading period next year.

"That was brought to us from the campuses, and so we are looking at the grading periods being nine weeks rather than six weeks," Penland said.

The nine week grading period will now extend UIL eligibility.

"We check eligibility every three weeks," Penland said. "At the first six weeks you have to check for eligibility, no matter if you’re on six weeks or nine weeks. Then, you are checked every three weeks after that and you can regain eligibility. You won’t necessarily lose it until the grading period."

Every three weeks you can become eligible, but not lose eligibility.

"The focus is on success," Penland said.

Penland said that she has worked under both and she is ok with the two different grading periods.

Semester exams will now be after the Christmas break.

The approved 2008-2009 school calendar can be found on the district web site, www.kcisd.net.

Renewed administration contracts included one-year probationary contracts for high school assistant principal Bryan Henderson and School Improvement Coordinator Lee Dockery.

One-year contracts were renewed for Elementary Principal Julie Braun, Elementary Assistant Principal Penny Armstrong, Jr. High Assistant Principal Robert Higginbotham, Elementary Counselor Susan Nelson, Jr. High Counselor Phyllis Vaughan, and High School Counselor Grace Soliz.

Business Manager Wayne Block, Technology Director Chelleye Block, Athletic Director Thomas Warlick, and High School Principal Jeanette Winn all received two-year contract extensions.