The Niagara Teachers Association has taken issue with the posture struck by the school board regarding the school calendar for 2010-11.

      Union representative Fred Andrist issued a rebuttal to several points made last week by the school board.

      The board and the teachers union negotiate the following year’s calendar in February, but there is no deadline established for approving a calendar, school Administrator Dan Nett said Tuesday. Conceivably, the calendar could be approved right up until school starts in the fall, he said.

      The matter of the 2010-11 school calendar remains up for negotiation, he said.

      Last week, members of the school board complained that the 2010-2011 school year extends into the second week of June under the union’s proposal. That would put Niagara kids at a disadvantage with students from Iron Mountain and Kingsford in finding summer jobs, a few board members commented. Board members also questioned why no classes were scheduled for Dec. 23, Jan. 31, Feb. 21 and March 18.

      Regarding the length of the school year, Andrist said: “We do not believe Michigan students are let out much earlier than Niagara students as stated by the board members.”

      For instance, the last days of school for the 2009-10 school year are: Iron Mountain, June 9; Crystal Falls, June 8; North Dickinson, June 11; and Niagara, June 4.

      “It is important to note that the DPI of Wisconsin requires 1,137 direct pupil instruction hours. The DPI of Michigan requires 1,098,” Andrist said.

      As for the days scheduled for no classes as part of the proposed calendar, Andrist said: “Feb. 21 is a teacher-only work day, as required by contract. The day must be scheduled somewhere in the school year where teachers can use it productively.”

      The Dec. 23 no-classes day “is an effort to comply with the Vocational Center that many of our students attend. It has been the policy of the Niagara district to try to match up those days, as closely as possible with the Vocational Center. All Michigan schools are closed this day.”