MIDLOTHIAN – Amid high winds and an incoming hail storm, most North Texans were headed inside Thursday afternoon. But, under a small covered pavilion at Kimmel Park in Midlothian, members of an air quality advocacy group had a meeting they couldn’t miss.

For the first time, Earthea Nance, regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 6, toured Midlothian and Arlington to learn more about residents’ experiences and concerns with industrial pollution. Region 6 encompasses Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and 66 tribal nations.

The visits to Ellis and Tarrant counties were the result of a meeting Nance attended last fall with several North Texas environmental advocacy groups, including Midlothian Breathe.

“I found residents who are tremendously knowledgeable about their environment and about the environmental laws and regulations that govern it,” Nance said. “They’re incredibly energized about working and partnering with the EPA to help to bring environmental protection to their families.”

Midlothian’s three major cement plants were at the center of Nance’s visit to the Ellis County city of 37,000. Six of the top 10 industrial polluters in North Texas are located in Ellis County, according to a 2021 Paul Quinn College report. Four of the top five call Midlothian, the “cement capital of Texas,” home. The city is about 30 miles southeast of Fort Worth, on U.S. 287.

Jane Voisard, a volunteer with Midlothian Breathe, was encouraged by Nance’s offer to help analyze air quality data and get a state air monitor back up and running.

“That is light years difference for us as far as actually being able to talk with someone and put a face and a voice and an interaction together,” Voisard said. “Part of it is us continuing to apply pressure and have a positive flow of communication. That’s what we want: the interaction.”

In Arlington, Nance visited several of the natural gas drilling sites that dot the landscape of Tarrant County. The environmental advocacy organization Liveable Arlington has pushed for more regulation and less drilling near sensitive sites such as schools and homes.

Her visit comes as the EPA moves forward with new regulations that would crack down on the amount of methane that oil and gas operations can emit. The new rules would also reduce volatile organic compounds and toxic air emissions, like benzene, that are released during oil and gas drilling.

Ranjana Bhandari, executive director of Liveable Arlington, has given dozens of tours to visiting scientists and journalists. This tour is the most important she has ever given, Bhandari said, because EPA policy will deeply impact Tarrant County. A 2022 report found that almost 1 million Tarrant County residents live within a half mile of oil and gas activity.

“I’m so, so grateful that they came and looked at all of it very thoughtfully,” Bhandari said. “I know that whatever they do will have the most impact in Tarrant County because this is the most impacted community (by natural gas drilling) in America. Their actions and EPA policy matters here more than anywhere else.”

Sitting at Kimmel Park picnic tables with Nance and her team, a small group of community advocates shared how their families have experienced health concerns while living in Midlothian. Keith Ricci, who has lived near the Holcim US cement plant for 14 years, said both of his daughters have suffered from respiratory issues.

“What we really care about more than anything is transparency,” Ricci said. “We feel like we’re not being listened to, and that we’re not getting accurate (air quality) readings.”

Several residents joined Midlothian Breathe as part of a fight to stop cement manufacturer Holcim US from increasing carbon monoxide emissions. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality eventually granted Holcim permission to do so in 2021.

At the time, Holcim spokeswoman Jocelyn Gerst said the company is committed to protecting public health in the Midlothian community. The permit application to increase emissions met all federal and Texas air quality standards, she said in a statement.

Since then, Midlothian Breathe volunteers have deployed 13 low-cost air quality sensors, known as PurpleAir monitors, that can detect particulate matter pollution and send data to an online map in real time. One of the sensors was installed at Kimmel Park, near City Hall, after the group donated it to the city in 2021.

“Midlothian has always been kind of a company town, and the city council has always steadfastly said: ‘There’s nothing we can do, we’re going to back away, we’re not going to have any involvement, and it’s TCEQ’s responsibility alone,’” Voisard said. “The first turn of events was when we presented them with the PurpleAir sensor, and they actually accepted it.”

Anna Hammonds, a city council member elected last year, attended the meeting with Nance and told residents she was there to listen. Midlothian city manager Chris Dick told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2020 that city leaders weren’t interested in meeting with activists because of the city’s lack of jurisdiction over cement plant permits.

Despite progress on an air monitoring network, Midlothian Breathe has continued to face roadblocks in analyzing air quality data, especially when it comes to funding and scientific expertise, Voisard said.

Nance’s team offered to connect the group with grant funding opportunities that could pay for more sophisticated air monitors. EPA staff can also help residents understand the data they’re collecting, Nance said.

“If you were in your backyard and you saw a patch of something, you’d take a sample. If you found something in that one sample, you might take a couple more samples,” she said. “The PurpleAir monitor is like that test sample … We can help you look at that and see what story it tells so we can then come up with the next step.”

Midlothian residents are also concerned about the lack of official EPA data on air quality in the city. The only air monitor overseen by the state environmental agency and the EPA has not been functional since April 2022, and Midlothian Breathe activists already believed the monitor’s data was irrelevant because it was located upwind of major pollution sources.

Ellen Belk of the EPA’s air quality section said she is working with the TCEQ to reinstall the monitor, which was decommissioned after the property was sold to a new owner. The EPA will also provide recommendations on where to place the new monitor and look into which location will produce accurate results, she said.

Upcoming EPA rule changes will also require corporations to reduce particulate matter pollution – more commonly known as soot – that can result in serious heart and lung ailments. Those regulations should be enforceable within the next three years, Nance said.

She encouraged residents to continue their data collection efforts and create a paper trail of complaints about any potential air quality violations. Her staff is also focused on creating partnerships with communities rather than hosting one-off meetings.

“I hear the frustration, and I hope that the kind of support we offer is going to help to energize the group,” Nance said.

Haley Samsel is the environmental reporter for the Fort Worth Report. You can reach them at haley.samsel@fortworthreport.org.

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

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MIDLOTHIAN – Midlothian Mayor Richard Reno and Midlothian City Manager Chris Dick are both in agreement that 2023 will be “a year for execution” for the city.

Reno said “It is all positive. We have done a lot of groundwork prior to 2023 within these last years.”

Now it’s time to see the fruition of the hard work, as bond projects start construction.

New City Hall & Public Safety Building Break Ground February 2

In the 2021 bond election Midlothian residents said they wanted a new City Hall and Public Safety Building.

Next month will be the groundbreaking for both of these major projects.

“This City Hall is going to last us the next 50 years or so, it is the future,” Reno explained. “A combination City Hall and Library and this is the first time the city will have its own library. We also have the new Public Safety Building. Overall, we anticipate a two-year completion.”

Speaking of the library, both men emphasized the fact the new library won’t be business as usual at 16,000 square-feet. It will actually be a place where the community can come together for projects including access to workspace, technology and programming.

“It will be downtown so it will be a good catalyst,” Reno added.

Downtown Master Plan, The Bigger Picture

According to Reno this is all part of a bigger picture – the Downtown Master Plan, which was approved in 2020.

Dick said too, “We are also doubling the capacity of our water treatment plant and in December the council approved the construction of Walnut Grove so you will see that taking off. In fact, we have in excess of probably $100 million worth of projects just in the four that are kicking off at the same time. Sort of the culmination of the planning we did in 2022 and now we are executing in 2023.”

Growth Is Increasing & That Requires Planning & Preparation

There is also the city’s population increasing steadily as it has been for some time.

Dick said “We have been averaging about four or five percent increase regularly, we did see a little bit of a slowdown on single family this year with the interest rates going up. I believe we will continue to see growth in the community. I know it is early in January, but we are seeing pickup in that activity so we will get to that trajectory.”

How far can the population increase over the years is anyone’s guess, but Reno said “We have been doubling every 10 years and we have been doing that since 1996 and we are pushing 40 now. Maybe this doubling will be a little bit slower, and we still haven’t topped out if you look at our land uses and theoretically we are pushing 100 so we are still 20 years away – we will still be growing at this rate.”

Of course, Dick adds “You don’t know about redevelopment in the future. Right now, we enjoy a large mix – I think if that changed with future council years from now with the redevelopment of the larger lots that could grow the population exponentially, but I don’t know that is going to happen.”

Midlothian has its fair share of land mass too.

“We do have a large landmass so some of these decisions are way out in the future for example,” Dick explained. “Like the quarries we have and how do you redevelop those someday?”

So, What Do Midlothian Residents Need To Know?

As the city does grow and see forward progress both Reno and Dick said one of the most important things needed by all residents is continued involvement in the critical decision making process.

“We need involvement by the citizens and parallel to what we have talked about we have started a branding process that says who we are and who we aspire to be,” Reno explained. “Behind that we are doing an update on the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Use, and we need input from the citizens. What do the citizens want Midlothian to be?”

Reno pointed out the importance of community involvement by pointing out the success of the new Community Park and how residents have been positive and upbeat about that addition.

“For the most part people out here we like ourselves,” Reno explained. “We really do. We go to the Community Park and the different events and the turnout is a good representation of who we are and it is positive and upbeat.”

And, while all cities have challenges with its growth, Midlothian city council and staff seem to be poised to handle it well.

Managing Budgets, Supply Chain Issues, Etc.

“How do we ensure quality growth and how do we improve quality of our services within the constraints of our budget,” Dick said. “How do we offer the best quality and services within our budget. That has been a little constrained since the state legislature has capped operational growth at a 3.5% cap, which has made it quite a bit more difficult with the inflationary measures we have seen and it hitting as high as almost nine percent. We also have had supply chain issues so all of those things have made it more difficult, but our city is not alone in that and we want to continue to maintain quality even with those constraints.”

The city does have an excellent bond which has made the challenges that all cities face less taxing. In fact, just under the highest rating of Triple A, which is generally as high as a city can go while growing like Midlothian is doing.

“We have a very conservative fiscal philosophy and approach to things, and we are being challenged now, our reserves and how we manage money and we will be challenged to continue with that,” Reno said. “Some of these decisions made in relation to these projects were not easy to figure out how to go forward and if we will go forward and council says we are going to go forward with these projects, but it is not easy. We will manage it.”

Following The Comprehensive Plan & Rebranding

Indeed, the city has a long history of making prudent decisions. The council is in good financial shape with the city continuing to be recognized for its transparency. The City Manager points out this speaks to Midlothian’s financial strength and a drive to ensure that things are being done appropriately from the top down.

So while 2022 was about laying the groundwork as Reno said “We are just now coming into our own – we are very different than we were 25 years ago.” Dick added to that concluding “It is about continuing the vibrancy of the city as we kick off our Comprehensive Plan and the branding project while looking toward the future.”

The City of Midlothian will break ground on Thursday, February 2, for the construction of the new Public Library and City Hall building on North 8th Street and the new Public Safety building at North 8th Street and Highway 67. Ceremonies for the Public Safety facility will take place at 10 a.m. with ceremonies for the Library/City Hall following at 11 a.m. For updates about the 2021 Bond Projects, visit the City of Midlothian’s website, www.midlothian.tx.us, under the “Government” tab.

My goals as a city councilman are to represent the entire city of Midlothian well, not just a select group of people. As our city grows, we are going to be faced with more and more challenges that will be new for our community. I am committed to facing those challenges with a creative, “out of the box” mindset.

I love Midlothian and want to make a positive impact on my community by representing my neighbors well. Through my experience on city boards such as the Midlothian Community Development Corporation and nonprofits such as the Midlothian Basketball League, I believe I can serve and represent people in the community in a unique way.

What are some of the most important qualities that a city council member should have?

I believe that a city council member should have integrity, a level head, and be a good listener. These three characteristics will go far in planning and decision-making.

3 years ago, I was asked to serve on the Midlothian Community Development Corporation (https://www.midlothian.tx.us/62/Midlothian-Community-Development-Corpora) board. Also known as the Type B corporation, this board directs sales tax revenue that is allocated for use in economic and community development. Throughout my time on this board, I have had the opportunity to work on several large park and economic projects.

Alongside serving on the MCDC board, two years ago, I co-founded the Midlothian Basketball League (midlothianbasketball.com). This is a non-profit recreational basketball program that serves the youth and adults of our community. This organization has grown to over 1,000 youth participants and almost 200 adult participants in each season. It has been one of the greatest blessings of my life to be apart of this program.

More recently, I was asked to serve on The Mile Advisory Board in our community. This board supports and resources the CTE (Career & Technical Education) programs at the MISD. I am thoroughly enjoying serving our students in our community in this way.

The top 3 challenges that our community faces are outlined below along with my plans to address them.

1. Property Tax Burdens on Residents – While there are many potential solutions here, I am in favor of focusing our efforts on diversifying more of the revenue that makes up the city budget. As we focus efforts on becoming a place where small businesses can thrive, our sales tax revenue can continue to grow. As these resources grow, we can offset the burden that is currently on the shoulders of our homeowners in the city.

2. Lack of Street and Infrastructure Development – It is no secret that we are behind in many physical areas of the city. While plans have been made, there have not been adequate resources and staffing directed at solving these challenges. Although I am no expert in this area, my goal is to promote ways to put action behind our planning that is in place. I believe we must address these issues in an urgent manner.

3. Maintaining Our Community’s Unique Identity Among Rapid Growth – I believe that there is a reason that people have lived in Midlothian for their entire lives, and there is also a reason that more and more people are moving here. One of the reasons for this is what many people describe as that “Small Town Feel”. While this is truly created by the people, as a community, we can also promote this through the way our city evolves. I believe that keeping this in mind when decisions are made can help us to preserve this culture alongside healthy growth.

My family moved to Midlothian a little over 5 years ago. One of the distinguishing factors for me, as a candidate, is my involvement in a variety of areas in our community. As mentioned previously, I have experience on city boards along with sports associations, booster clubs, and committees throughout the past several years. I have also owned a small business here in Midlothian for the past 5 years.

The best way to determine what is in the best interest of the city is to speak with the community directly. My goal as a councilman is to make sure that I consistently make myself available to folks in the community to solicit feedback. My job as a councilman is to be the best representation of our community that I can be. The only way to do this is to stay accessible to the folks that I’m representing.

I believe that as councilman and councilwoman, our job is to make decisions. Each individual on the council was elected by the citizens for a reason. Each member of the council has value and perspective that is unique to him or her. I am committed to not taking it personal when fellow council members vote in opposition of me. We are all there to do a job and vote based on our own perspective. A healthy council is one that has split votes but continues to work together toward the good of the city, despite that.

I would add to Article 11.02 an additional Exemption to Ad Valorem Taxes for homestead property owners. This would be used as a form of property tax relief to our homeowners.

I plan to continue serving in a variety of areas of our community to make sure I am “people-facing” throughout my time of service. Accessibility is very important to me.

Improving communication between city officials and the public comes down to approachability. I believe that the more approachable I can be to the people that I represent, the better. If people feel their opinion is valued, they will communicate more. Alongside that, we’ve got to find some ways to make our council meetings a little more exciting. Maybe some music or cornhole tourneys at the meetings would help. Kidding, of course.

I am a Christian, first and foremost. I’m a family man. I truly desire to represent my neighbors well, if elected. I look forward to doing everything I can to support Midlothian’s bright future!

I am running for my 4 (soon to be 5) grandchildren who attend MISD, and for all MISD students, and for the betterment of our students, their families, and taxpayers.

We moved to the MISD 22 years ago because of the quality schools. About 3 years ago I began personally attending or watching Board meetings online and it became apparent that our district was changing.

Our student test scores are either declining or remaining unchanged, yet property taxes have soared.

I believe we can do a better job of helping our students read at grade level (something only 57% of them now do).

I am concerned about politically-correct agendas like CRT or woke ideologies creeping into our schools, and pornographic books in libraries need to be removed. I will make every effort to protect our students, especially girls’ sports, from these ideologies.

My business experience, having founded my own company in 1983 and running it for 38 years, makes me the only candidate to have a private sector profession outside of public education.

While our priority must always be the education of students, business experience is extremely advantageous for an MISD Trustee because the MISD is a very large enterprise, one of the largest employers in Midlothian.

Therefore, my real-world business experience in dealing with thousands of employees, and contractors, negotiating with all levels of government, serving on numerous boards of directors, and being appointed to the Texas Legislature’s Task Force on Affordable Housing (where I was elected Chairman) allows me to be an asset on the MISD Board.

Additionally, I am the only candidate to have served for 15 years as an Adjunct Professor at Dallas Baptist University, so I understand the classroom environment, creating lesson plans, and student grading.

I understand service to my country. I am the only candidate who is a military veteran, having served in the Navy.

I believe that assuring student safety while at school and raising our static or declining student test scores are top priorities. In addition, we must get back to basics by focusing on math, science, history, and skills to prepare students for the 21st century.

Curricula must be transparent to parents, and no student survey data mining should be done without the full knowledge and consent of the parents.

We must retain our longest-serving and best teachers, making sure they are safe and supported while in their classroom, and we must raise their pay without a tax increase.

For the last 10 years, as a proud MISD grandparent, I have attended nearly every grandpals week at McClatchey, and more recently at Longbranch, purchasing many, many books. I’ve attended numerous school festivals, plays, sporting events, and Christmas programs. Additionally, we have always been donors for school fundraising events.

The activity I deeply appreciated was the veteran’s day observations at Walnut Grove Middle School which went far in teaching our students about our military and the great price paid for our freedom.

I’ve also been a Sunday school teacher in two different churches in our community and active in local politics since the early 90’s.

Board members must be able to make wise and prudent decisions for the betterment of students, parents, and taxpayers, and be willing to stand alone at times for their principles.

When fiscal issues are considered, the Board should remember that it is not their money. It came from hard-working taxpayers.

A Board member must never forget that he or she is the people’s representative to the MISD and that the Board, through the superintendent, has oversight of the ISD, so there must be collaboration and mutual respect between both.

Just like Board members of other entities, a Board member, while being the positive representative to our community, must also have a realistic perspective of the areas of concern.

A confident Board member must be willing to politely, but passionately at times, argue for the correct and proper policies. However, one must never forget that if the decision is against them, they must still maintain a proper working and professional relationship with all involved.

Considering the vast number of teachers leaving the MISD, the district has done a good job filling most of those vacancies and they have developed a capable staff and array of teachers.

Our focus should have stayed on academics and quality teacher retention.

Teach students American history and about the cost that has been paid by millions who sacrificed much, some their very lives, to preserve and protect our freedom; and how quickly a nation can lose their freedom.

We must teach students that with every “right” they enjoy as an American there also comes a responsibility to not abuse that right.

Student safety and security while at school.

Raising student test scores.

Prudent and conservative funding of the MISDs growth.

Frugal management of our taxpayer’s money.

Empowering parents through transparency in curricula.

Retaining our best and most experienced teachers.

I am a proponent of local public schools. However, this is not a local school board issue but one for the State Legislature.

I am committed to MISD, as I have 4, soon to be 5, grandchildren in it. I have paid taxes to it for 23 years, and I am a candidate for local school board. My concern is local, not statewide.

We presently have a $600M debt. How do we prudently fund the new schools we need without incurring a potential large tax increase?

We need at least one new elementary school quickly due to growth. How we fund that school is now in the hand of the voters. They will decide.

In any government entity there is fat. I’ve spoken to numerous MISD employees who say there is much waste that can be trimmed.

For example, why should taxpayers be forced to pay dues to any private association (not a state entity) that promotes values not in concert with the values of our community? Membership in private associations should be paid for from private funds, not by the taxpayers. That is what every doctor does when he or she pays their American Medical Association annual dues. This one change will save taxpayers at least a quarter million dollars a year.

Very recently a bill has moved forward that adds $1.4B for teacher salaries. This is a historic high amount and welcomed and needed.

Move public testimony to the top of Board meeting agendas so students, parents and taxpayers are not forced to wait for multiple hours before they can give their 3-minute comments to the Board.

Make curricula transparent to parents, and no student survey data mining should be done without the full knowledge and consent of the parents.

When a presentation is made by the staff to the Board, any board member should be able to request that a presentation of equal length but of a contrary perspective also be presented to the board.

I am running because I want our schools to honor the values that made it great, by raising test scores, empowering families, and lower taxes. We can do better.

I am running for my grandchildren, and for all MISD students, so that they will be well-educated, giving them a better chance to succeed in our great country regardless of background or what career they select.

Thank you for reading this! Now, I need your vote. For more information visit at HarrisonForMidlothianISD.com

MISD Approves 2023-2024 Learning Calendar

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about many changes in this country, one of them being schools in several districts across the U.S. adjusting to a four-day calendar.

While that choice has not caught hold in Texas as much as in some other states, for example, Colorado, it is a topic of discussion.

In Midlothian, the board of trustees voted Monday to try something in between the five-day week that has been the norm for as long as anyone can remember and the proposed four-day week. It’s a hybrid calendar for the 2023-24 school year if you will.

The decision, which came after the district sent out a survey – which many saw as a vote – asking for comments about a possible four-day week – is drawing mixed reviews.

A press release Monday evening explained the board’s decision, which was approved by a 6-1 vote (Gary Vineyard voted No).

Here are the highlights of that release:

“Based on unprecedented survey participation, the MISD administration felt compelled to give due diligence and study the potential impact of a four-day calendar model. District leaders consulted with Region 10 and other districts with successful implementation plans to learn from the best practices of others. Campus and district leaders looked deeper at the feasibility of this type of calendar option and the district’s capacity to plan for the details associated with this type of change. Ultimately, more time, data, and legislative updates are needed to prepare to implement this model successfully in Midlothian ISD.

“However, Midlothian ISD listened and considered the feedback from families and staff as they created calendar options for the 2023-24 school year. Ultimately, the district made the input given by staff and families a priority to ensure that the learning calendar will positively impact academic outcomes, school/family balance for students and sta?, teacher planning and preparation time, and staff recruitment and retention.”

Goal: Finding A Work/Life Balance For Students & Staff

The new calendar allows for a student holiday approximately every three weeks. The district stated this allows teachers more planning and collaboration time while also allowing students extended weekends with their families.

The calendar also adds 15 minutes of instructional time each day, but does not add to staff work hours. In all, staff will have 10 days less with students, but the instructional time is increasing overall for the school year.

District officials expect elementary hours to be from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and secondary hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

The release also noted the district is actively working on revising the agreement with the YMCA to provide low-cost childcare for students on the 10 additional student holidays on the calendar to support families. MISD is also exploring an expansion of district childcare services for faculty children up to the age of 12.

Teachers will continue to have an eight-hour workday with a 30-minute lunch.

You can view the presentation to the school board via board book https://meetings.boardbook.org/Documents/WebViewer/1700?file=c8081888-e607-405f-90de-ee762bd44c94

During the presentation to the board, trustees were given a detailed breakdown of unresolved considerations that prevented the committee from recommending a four day school week. Some of those considerations included only having five months to prepare, the need to increase the school day from 45-55 minutes per day and the impact on students and transportation, the impact on the pay of non-exempt employees and more.

Mixed responses, Love It, Hate It or It’s A Start

Social media was buzzing with mixed reactions following the board’s decision Monday night. Several posted their yay or nay thoughts on the decision on Facebook.

“This looks great for a mom with two in middle school and one in high school. Thanks!” posted April Plemons Bartley.

Danny Jeanes posted on Midlothian Talk, “The district representative stated that they were in no way prepared to go to a four-day week in 2023-24 because they had not fully researched how it would affect some things like quality of education, teacher scheduling or lack of child care for families needing it. Those seemed like some pretty important aspects of implementing a new schedule to me.”

Allison Barger came to the defense of the district concerning the survey.

“I don’t understand why people are so up in arms about the survey. It was a survey, not a vote,” she said. “They were assessing public interest before going through the trouble of researching the minute details. Would we have wanted it to go the other way? What if the sub committee had spent tons of time doing the due diligence only to find on the back end that there was zero public interest? Wouldn’t that have been a major waste of time and tax dollars? The survey never promised an outcome, it most definitely stated that it was to assess community interest.”

Parents of children with autism, that depend on routines, are also concerned about the disruption to their lives and the impact on learning.

Bethany Connor Dowd wrote on Facebook, “I am very grateful to all of the community members and MISD staff for the hours and days put into creating a calendar with all perspectives in mind. If you haven’t, I highly encourage you to watch the board meeting and the thorough explanation given by experienced educators to provide greater insight into the decisions made.”

MISD Teachers React

The decision is also drawing mixed responses from teachers.

“Teacher here. Not a fan!” exclaimed Sarah Larkin Cooper. “So many questions. This calendar is not the same as what was surveyed earlier. Above all, I’m disappointed our board would put anything to a vote without getting our input and feedback or giving us – and parents – different options to choose from.”

Mandi Bienart wrote, “And those saying we will not work more…what teacher can run out the door as soon as the kids leave? This just extended my day to at least 4:30. As a teacher with elementary school aged children this now puts a burden on me to find childcare on those Fridays they are off.

‘Students get more time with family’, not if they are a teacher’s kid! And as a non-core subject without data, I do not need 3 hours to analyze data! We asked for more planning time yes, but not more guided planning time. That is the least productive for someone with 5 preps.”

On the other hand, teacher Christi Corbin seems to be a huge fan of the decision.

“Thank you MISD for creating a calendar that gives teachers time to effectively create, plan, collaborate, organize, communicate and prepare on behalf of our amazing students,” she posted. “I believe this calendar will draw so many phenomenal teachers to our district and retain teachers who love to teach. I feel respected, honored and valued with the creation of this calendar.”

Kara Walsleben Haley wrote “A four day week would have been so nice but would still mean grading and planning/prepping M-Th late in the evening. This option allows ample time for teachers to plan, communicate, collaborate, during normal business hours and not on family time. I’m pumped!!”

FDN contacted MISD and offered a chance to respond to the social media comments but a district official stated they had no additional comments other than the official press release. We encourage parents and community members to watch the video of last night’s school board meeting to see first hand the concerns, questions and research conducted by the committee.