Our very own wiseman of local politics weighs in on the school start date;
Mayor Mike Huether isn’t a fan of changing the calendar for Sioux Falls schools.
“I personally like it the way it is,†said Huether.
Heck, even Homan has MMM by the apron strings.
I can’t figure out why Huether has his nose in the debate over when school should start and then to be speaking about it at a school. It doesn’t hurt kids to have to study for tests over the holidays. It just might keep them out of trouble. There seems to be an awful lot of kids getting into trouble in town, lately.
Shame on the Mayor! If I am with the CVB or any form of tourism that pumps money back into this city – this Mayor just made up my mind for me. Two weeks of additional tax revenue generation for this city and he poo poos changing the start day? What an idiot!
Karma, I kind of thought the same thing, but I wasn’t quite as angry about it as you 🙂
A change in the school start date will likely impact the cost of operating the city pools. Pool operations follow the school schedule. A May school end date means cooler weather and the temperature often falls below 70 degrees so lifeguards and cashiers are sent home and are not paid. Early school starts in August allows the city to begin shutting down pools in early August, so less spending on lifeguards, cashiers, and maintenance. With students out of school until Labor Day, there will be pressure to keep more than just the “water park” pools open after school hours and weekends for customers.
Well, there is two ways to look at that. If they are getting out later, that means the pools can open later,, instead of earlier.
Are the pools primarily staffed by high school students or college students? If they are staffed by college students, will they still be able to keep the pools open towards the end of August when the college students have returned to school?
I spoke to a City Councilor today who said the Mayor was at Patrick Henry Middle School last week promoting a YES vote on the school start date issue.
Of course, MMM would tell you that was NOT the reason for his visit.
I wonder how many other Sioux Falls schools he intends to visit before the April 14th Public Vote!!?
And I find it interesting the media just happen to be at Patrick Henry. Whatever.
Lifeguards typically are a mix of college and HS juniors and seniors. College students returning to school is an issue, but in August the city begins closing down pools and consolidating staff, usually at Drake, Laurel Oaks, and Terrace.