Press Release
Ponca City Public Schools Makes Change in School Calendar
to Allow Mandatory Training for Employees
The Ponca City Public School Board of Education has made a change to the 2015-16 school calendar. The current school
calendar shows March 11, 2016 as a student contact day. The Board’s change makes March 11, 2016 a “Professional
Development Day” for all employees and a “No School Day” for all students.
The state requires training for many support employees, but there are no professional development days for support
employees built into the current school calendar. Students will still meet the required number of instructional hours even
though March 11 has been changed from a student contact day to a professional development day.
Special Education paraprofessionals are required to participate in a specific number of training hours each year to
maintain compliance with Oklahoma State Department of Education regulations. Currently, there are no Professional
Development Days scheduled for support personnel in the current school calendar. With the number of Special Education
paraprofessionals employed by the District, it would put a burden on the students and the District if this training was
provided on a student contact day. Specialized training opportunities will be offered to employees not attending the
training.
Please mark your calendars to show MARCH 11, 2016 AS A NO SCHOOL DAY FOR ALL PCPS STUDENTS!
Mary Ladd
Public Information Coordinator
Ponca City Public Schools
580-352-4188
[email protected]
For Release February 16, 2015