The Austin School Board is expected to approve the calendar for the 2002-03 school year and the revised student handbooks of the elementary schools, the middle school and the high school.

Two possible calendars are being proposed to the school board at tonight's meeting: a 192-day calendar and a 194-day calendar. The proposed 192-day schedule would have 176 student instructional days, eight holidays, three work days (and two more half-days), 3.5 days required for staff development and 1.5 days for parent-teacher conferences. The only change in the proposed 194-day calendar is that it would give teachers five work days instead of three.

The board also is expected to approve the student handbooks of the elementary, middle and high schools for the 2002-2003 school year. The only significant changes are in the high school's and include the revocation of senior privileges if a student fails to maintain a 2.0 grade point average, limiting college visit excuses to two days for seniors only, assigning detentions to students who are tardy three or more times to the same class instead of assigning a three-hour after-school study session, eliminating the distinction between excused and unexcused tardies, and requiring students to store backpacks in their lockers during the school day.

The Austin School Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. today in the Austin City Council Chambers.

Amanda L. Rohde can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at amanda.rohde@austindailyherald.com