PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Peoria Public School board passed a modified schedule that will affect all Peoria Public Schools on Monday, Feb. 7.
The new schedule will be enacted for the 2022-2023 school year. The modified calendar will also send students and staff back to school on Aug. 3, instead of Aug. 17.
It will also extend fall break from three days to 10 days, and spring break from five days to 10 days. Summer break will be reduced from 54 days to 42 days.
Teachers from Harrison Community Learning Center spoke out at the board meeting, explaining how they favor the calendar, while others spoke out against it.
“Our students come back in the room after those breaks and say ‘I’m glad to be back, I’m ready.’ Instead of coming back and being like ‘really? We only had two days? It was just a long weekend, that wasn’t even a break,” said a teacher from Harrison Community Learning Center.
Anthony Joseph, a student at a Peoria Public School, said, “There is not enough positive data to support this change that it would be worthwhile. That there would be a conflict with other schools and their schedules, causing issues with parents and teachers split among districts.”
The modified schedule was passed tonight with a 4-3 vote, with President Greg Wilson and board members Anni Reinking and Chase Klaus voting no.
