Submitted by Ethan Sickels, 

Rock Port R-II Schools Superintendent

During our February board meeting, the 2022-23 school calendar utilizing a four-day school week was approved with some modifications. After feedback from our community forum, adaptations were made to shorten the length of the school day and add an additional week of school. While the calendar is shared in the newspaper this week, I want to point out a few of the changes.

School day length: This was shortened from the additional 48 minutes that were originally planned to 33 minutes. The school day hours for the 2022-23 school year are:

Regular Early 

School Day Dismissal

Elementary 8:00 a.m.-3:40 p.m. 8:00 a.m.-12:22 p.m.

JH/HS 7:50 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 7:50 a.m.- 12:12 p.m.

Total hours: The calendar for next year has 1,084.5 student hours, a difference of 12.05 hours from this year’s calendar. 

Total days: Students will attend school 152 days next year (149 regular/3 early dismissal). This is 16 less days than they will attend this year. 

Snow make-up days: We will have 40 hours available that are “extra” hours (Missouri schools are only required to attend 1,044 hours). We will still be able to absorb some bad weather days with our new calendar. If necessary, there are five snow days built in on Mondays to make-up hours.

The 2022-23 calendar is available on our website for you to download. If you have any questions about next year’s calendar, I encourage you to stop by the office, contact me at 660-744-6298, or through email at ethan.sickels@rpbluejays.com. We thank you for your continued support of our school district, and as always, I leave you with three important words . . . GO BIG BLUE!