MUSD board rejects extension of Winter Break

The Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board voted unanimously Wednesday night to reject its superintendent’s recommendation to extend Winter Break.

School will resume after the holidays on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, as previously scheduled. Discussion revolved around keeping a consistent schedule for both students and their families.

RELATED: Anderson dispute resolved, MUSD moves forward on 2nd high school site

The board also voted to hold a special session on Thursday, Dec. 17, to determine whether to return to classes in person, via distance learning or leave the option to the parents, COVID-19 protocols permitting. That meeting will be held in place of the regularly scheduled board meeting that had been slated for Jan. 7, 2021.

The schedule change recommended by Superintendent Dr. Tracey Lopeman would have moved four days of Spring Break to Winter Break, with students returning after the holidays on Monday, Jan. 11. The board opted to leave the calendar unchanged, giving families the full two weeks of spring break – March 8 to 19 – to rest and recharge for the home stretch of the school year.

During the Call to the Public segment of the meeting, comments strongly favored sticking to the schedule.

City Councilmember Henry Wade, the only person to comment in person, urged the board to “show strength versus forces out there that want to keep schools closed.” He said he has observed the degradation of his grandson’s abilities over the past year as he has been forced to go back and forth between in person and online schooling.

The rest of the comments were submitted online, with the vast majority supporting adherence to the original calendar.

Several commenters noted that many families could lose money for Spring Break vacations already planned and paid for, and that parents had already arranged for time off work that may not be able to be changed.

In other action, Lopeman announced the district had closed escrow Dec. 1 for the Cortona property at the southwest corner of Farrell and Murphy roads for the city’s second high school. The district has received $3.54 million in funding from the Arizona Schools Facilities Board to begin work on the site.

The district is conducting hydrant pressure tests at the site which will be completed the first week of January.

An update will be provided at the next regularly scheduled board meeting.