School Board grumbles over late start law The district may have trouble requesting an early school-year start By Michelle Kennedy News-Chronicle The Green Bay School Board voiced its displeasure Monday with a new state law that requires all schools wait to begin the school year until after Sept.1. Green Bay schools traditionally begin the last week in August, and while the district is not prohibited from beginning the school year in August, it must submit a written request annually, citing extraordinary circumstances, to do so. The request must be made by Jan. 1 prior to the beginning of the school term. Because the law takes effect in the 2002-03 school year, the Green Bay School Board may have trouble getting their request to begin the school year in August passed in time to create next yearıs school calendar. "I want to express my unhappiness to find ourselves in this position," Board president Judy Crain said. "It seems to me that the rules that have been drafted are consistent with the law, but the problem is with the law." Extraordinary circumstances that will be considered by the legislature include: * Contracts that contain calendars for the 2002-03 or 2003-04 school year that were ratified by both parties prior to September 1, 2001. * Construction projects that cause the school term to be altered. * Closure of school due to forces of nature, code violations or environmental orders. * Excessive costs associated with the transportation of private school students who attend private schools that start before Sept. 1. School superintendent Dan Nerad said that he would like to see a clause that includes a category that would consider "other" extenuating circumstances. "There may also be other costs associated with this law that we donıt know about as of yet," board member Jean Marsch said. "So I would like to see another line that establishes that. It is upsetting to think that this law could add additional costs to our district." Nerad will write to the state Department of Public Instruction on behalf of the board and ask that such language be included in the new law. "Any costs in light of a revenue cap are excessive - whether (the DPI) chooses to agree with that - well at least we have made our claim as a local governing body," Nerad said.