By Carol Anders Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth Community Schools’ calendar for the 2009-10 school year has been changed from the original passed several months ago.

According to Superintendent Dan Tyree, the changes were made after meeting with representatives of the Plymouth Education Association (PEA).
A “calendar memorandum of understanding” that had been agreed upon by the Plymouth Community School Corporation (PCSC) and the PEA was distributed at the school board meeting Wednesday night.
The need for changes came to the forefront when the State of Indiana Super-intendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Tony Bennett, made it mandatory for students to have 180 days of instruction and that no half days would be allowed. In the past, half days were used for professional staff development and parent-teacher conferences.
Included in the memorandum is the following: “Parent teacher conferences are a professional responsibility under the Plymouth Master Contract. For 2009-10, parent teacher conferences will remain status quo, but a discussion item.”
The new agreement specifies that student instructional days that occur on Fridays will have a half-hour early dismissal for students and faculty. The time will be accumulated to be used for professional development.
Tyree said, “Professional development is the life-blood of student achievement.”
He said the teachers had ratified the agreement earlier in the day.  “We went to the discussion table and then ended up going into a mini-negotiation,” he said. “The PEA worked very professionally with us. Realistically, they (teachers) will be working 188 days.”
The first day of school for students will be Aug. 19, while Aug. 17 will be used for staff development and Aug. 18 will be teacher orientation.
A new date for graduation at Plymouth High School will be June 11.
Tyree noted that school is starting a week later than in year’s past since ,ISTEP testing will not be done in the fall.
Tyree said that all parents will be notified of the calendar either per email or regular mail.
The new agreement is for a one-year period. The memorandum states: “This agreement is to bring about the best possible solution to a difficult situation imposed by the IDOE (Indiana Department of Education) after the calendar had been discussed with the PEA and voted on by the school board.
This is a one-time activity in a unique situation and will not set a precedent for future calendar issues related to the Plymouth Master Contract.”
In other business
• The board was informed that $1.7 million in stimulus money was received by the Plymouth School Corporation; however, it replaces the normal state draw for the month of June.
According to Assistant Superintendent Rodger Smith, the regular draw monies that would have been received will be placed in the state’s “rainy day fund.”