The Calendar Working Group provided two recommendations to the Austin Public Schools Board in January of 2015.

•Instructional day for grades 5-12 to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

•Balanced calendar districtwide with breaks no longer than eight weeks.

With the school board’s consideration of the recommendations and next steps, we want to invite you to participate in Austin Public Schools “Calendar Working Group” or “School Start Time Working Group.” The purpose of these groups is to look at the work, data and recommendations of the original Calendar Working Group and provide detailed recommendations to the school board for possible implementation or not to implement.

The working group meetings will be determined once the membership of each has been determined with work to begin no later than March 16. The time frame will also be determined by each working group guided by the scope of work each has to accomplish.

Anyone wishing to volunteer may participate in these working groups. If you are unable to participate in either of the working groups, there will be opportunities provided during their process for input from individuals at other times. The working group will be reviewing the work of the original Calendar Working Group as stated above, new data if available, as well as looking at impact of changes on students, parents, staff and community. Group members will have access to all data on line. To help the groups accomplish their tasks, volunteers must complete all the assigned work and be able to attend all meetings.

If you are interested in participating, please sign up by contacting Sharon Alms at 507-460-1900 or by e-mail at sharon.alms@austin.k12.mn.us by Friday, Feb. 27.

David Krenz,

Austin Public Schools superintendent