Earlier start set for next school year at Logan

The Logan Municipal School board approved a calendar for the 2023-2024 school year that’s largely the same as in previous years but complies with an expanded-instruction bill expected to become law.

Superintendent Dennis Roch said during the board’s March 13 meeting the bill compels districts to expand its number of instruction hours per school year.

He said under Logan’s existing schedule, that would put the school year past Memorial Day — a “non-starter” among the district’s staff and faculty.

Roch said in the elementary school, much of the additional instruction hours can be taken up with professional development by faculty. But not as much professional development can be used in secondary education.

He said a solution is to start the school day 15 minutes earlier — at 7:45 a.m. instead of the usual 8 a.m. That earlier start would cover the required additional instructional time.

Many New Mexico legislators favored a bill that requires 1,140 hours of instruction time per school year — a 15% increase from the minimum. Lawmakers wanted to respond to a general drop in the state’s reading and math proficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In other business:

— The board approved a court-approved settlement offer of $14,815 from e-cigarette manufacturer Juul after an executive session.

More than 10,000 plaintiffs, including Logan, across the country were part of a class-action lawsuit against Juul for its role in the youth vaping epidemic.

“The board and administration have recognized for some time the danger our students have been exposed to by the availability of vaping and other tobacco products,” Roch wrote in an email after the meeting. “The funds from this settlement will nearly offset the cost of the vape detectors we recently purchased and installed throughout our campus.”

— The board approved RBM Construction of Logan as a vendor for resurfacing the bus barn parking lot. Board member Tom Humble abstained from voting because his brother-in-law is part of the company.