DeKALB – With the approval of a 2018-19 calendar for DeKalb School District 428, area schools now will be able to start their fall semester at the same time as neighboring districts.
The updated calendar that will begin the semester Aug. 15 was approved during Tuesday’s school board meeting without opposition. Board member Rick Smith was absent.
The DeKalb district, which typically has started its school year a week later than other districts, experienced a few setbacks under this schedule, such as having DeKalb High School students waiting until after winter break to take finals.
One of the factors preventing the district from starting earlier was the lack of air conditioning at Lincoln Elementary School. But now that a $1.1 million project to install a new boiler and chiller at the school was approved last year, officials felt more comfortable moving up the start date.
Two calendars were proposed during the board’s Dec. 19 meeting with different start dates depending on the progress of the Lincoln school upgrades, but after recommendations from the Professional Relations Committee, district administrators agreed on the approved calendar.