Q (4/30/12):  You've had several questions regarding the bus breakdown, but seem to skirt around the answer. Your "expectation" that the kids stay on the bus, what does that mean? Who is the responsible adult that is in charge of these kids? They didn't overpower the driver and jump off. She let them off, willingly. Clarify the policy, make a rule, and stick with it. These are our children that you are responsible for and ultimately if something were to happen to a child while walking home, you would be held accountable.
A:  Please give our transportation supervisor, Alice Mayer a call at 715-839-6082. A two-way conversation would be beneficial.

Q (4/25/12):  Is that rumor that the school district is refusing to assist in the repair of the 10th street tennis courts true?
A:  The board will be discussing and voting on the tennis court renovation project on May 7.

Q (4/24/12):  On April 23rd my son's bus had a flat tire. Instead of having the kids stay on the bus, they were allowed to walk home. Is this a normal practice?
A:  This would not be the normal practice. Unless their parent picks them up or they have parent permission to walk home, our expectation is that all students remain on site and then board the replacement bus when it arrives.

Q (4/24/12):  What is the school policy or procedure for when a bus breaks down? I was concerned today (4/23) when my child's bus broke down and she walked the rest of the way home which was quite a distance. Who is responsible for their safety?
A:  When a bus breaks down another bus is sent to pick up the students and finish the route. Our expectation is that all students remain on site and then board the replacement bus when it arrives.

Q (4/10/12):  What is the user name ID and password for the world book online log in?
A:  By agreement with our vendor, the password is given only to students for their use. If you are a student in our District, you can get the password from your library media center.

Q (3/19/12):  Can you tell me about any continuing music programs? If I recall some of them were cut and the kids don't have a musical class anymore. My daughter is currently in second grade and she enjoys being involved in the the music programs.
A:  All elementary students have music classes, which are on the docket to continue into the future. Because of budget reductions, at each grade level, students are now divided into four sections rather than five - creating larger class sizes. In addition, we currently have about 20% less time in specials including art, phy. ed. and language arts. With appropriate funding, we would like to return to five sections and restore the time in specials.

Q (3/12/12):  Regarding the Revenue Limit per Member graphic - "Who are the members?"
A:  Member means Full Time Equivalent Resident Students." Our 4K students are counted at 0.6 because they do not attend a full day. All other students are counted as 1.0.  Our membership does not include open enrollment students.

Q (3/6/12): Is there an agenda for the information meetings? I do not want to duplicate questions that will be answered in the meetings. The main information I am interested in is how this referendum addresses the goals that were identified in the recent Strategic planning session and where do I get a copy of the results of the planning session?
A:  The district's referendum flyer was mailed to all district residents on March 2.The front page of the flyer includes the district vision and mission and highlights that "a successful referendum will provide resources needed to boost student achievement in our increasingly diverse school district. We are responding directly to community input and state/federal mandates on our priorities as a school district." The programming being considered under a passed referendum is in response to the strategic plan (see page 2 of the flyer). The flyer is also available here.  Please follow this link to the Strategic Planning webpage. The information meetings will be informal and allow plenty of time for questions and answers. In addition, we will show our district video, Thank You Altoona, and speak to the key points in the flyer.

Q (2/23/12): The Pedersen PTO should really reconsider asking parents and caregivers to provide a full meal on parent teacher conference nights. With the rising cost of food, it's hard enough to feed our own families, let alone the whole teacher staff. Why don't the teachers each bring a dish to pass amongst all of them. I think that idea would set better with a lot of parents and caregivers in the Altoona school district.
A:  Thanks for the feedback. We'll pass on your suggestion.

Q (2/13/12): If food prices are going up due to the mandated healthy food policy, will school district consider open lunch hour to allow students off campus to get lunches at home?
A:  There will be an increase in lunch prices next year. This increase is mandated by the federal government and is not directly related to the healthy food policy. The administration and school board would not be interested in having an open campus lunch period. A number of schools that have the open lunch are moving away from it.

Q (2/13/12): Referendum 2010 gave out summary information about number of teachers the Altoona school district employed and average salaries and benefits. Where can I find that information updated for the 2012 referendum? Will it be provided?
A:  The costs were updated in January. It has been added to the Referendum information page. Thank you.

Q (2/9/12): Why is it that students have to use a 0 voice (no talking or whispering) on the bus because a few kids got in trouble? Is it the districts view to punish all for the actions of a few? Do you think if students have an unhappy ride to school and home from school that this will make them want to go to school?
A:  Safety is the main concern for the school district and for our parents. The general expectation is that students would remain seated and talk with their close neighbors in a normal inside voice.

Q (2/9/12): How many teachers does Altoona school district have?
A:  We have 117 teachers, 76 support staff and six administrators.

Q (2/6/12):  Are Altoona school district employees covered by WEAC health insurance?
A:  Our current insurance is through the WEA Trust. Check this link for more information: WEA Trust Facts

Q (1/24/12):  First semester ended on Friday, January 20th. When are report cards coming home?
A:  Both the Middle school and high school plan to mail report cards by Thursday of this week. Elementary report cards will be sent home with students on January 31.

Q (1/23/12):   The media has been reporting on savings by school districts by shopping their health insurance now that it is legal to do so. Has Altoona? if not, why not? Do we have any savings? Any anticipated savings in future years if we haven't begun the process yet.
A:  We have begun the process with an insurance committee that is gathering information on different options including an HRA. While we can't put a number on anticipated savings at this point, we could see a health insurance change for 2012/13 or 2013/14. We saved $600,000 this year due to employee contributions to health insurance and retirement.

Q (1/23/12):  My son will be turning 5 on Sept 15, 2012, and I was wondering what I would need to do to get him into 5 year old kindergarten this year since his birthday is 2 weeks after the cut off?
A:  An Application for Early Entrance to Kindergarten would need to be completed and filed at Pedersen Elementary before April 1, 2012.

Q (1/16/12):  Thanks so much for this forum. I don't remember what was cut without the last referendum. Can you tell me? And what would be likely to be reinstated, or added?
A:  On January 23, the school board will vote on general plan of action for a Passed Referendum as well as for a Failed Referendum. The list of Actual Staffing and Program Reductions for 2010/11 is available at this link.

Q (1/16/12):  Why does the Altoona District not let their families celebrate the Federal hoiday Marin Luther King day?
A:  The Altoona school district encourages families to celebrate Martin Luther King Day. School districts in Wisconsin do not dismiss school for all federal holidays. We are in session other federal holidays including Washington's birthday, Columbus Day and Veteran's Day.

Q (1/11/12):  When I received my property tax bill, why did the school portion of the taxes increase more than any other portion on my tax bill?
A:  The school district portion went up because we received over $1,000,000 less in state aid than we received in the 2010-11 school year.  When state aid decreases the tax levy goes up due to the state revenue limit formula.

Q (1/10/12):  When is PROM 2012?
A:  This year's prom date is Saturday, April 28.

Q (1/9/12): The new state education budget requires a 5.8% retirement contribution and 12.6% contribution by state employees for health insurance. (I believe I have % correct) Did Altoona begin these contributions for the 2011-12 school year? or when will it start? How much money was saved with these contributions?
A: Contributions to retirement and health insurance began for most employees on September 1, 2011, reflecting a district savings of approximately $600,000 for the 2011-2012 school year.

Q (1/3/12): Can you tell me the amount of the decrease in state aid funding this year compared to last? It looks like we are expecting state funding to increase by about $370,000 in the next 5 years....what are we basing that on?
A: In the 2010/11 school year, we received $10,299,899 in state aid as compared to $9,290,077 for the current (2011/12) school year for a decrease of $1,009,822.

State aid is based on three figures:

• Number of Resident Students: Aid is based on the prior year enrollment numbers and this year we had an increase in our September count of about 40 students. This will increase our state aid for next year. Projections were made using no increase in enrollment.

• Total Dollars Spent in the Prior Year: With a passed referendum our total dollars spent would increase which in turn increases our state aid. The projections were based on the added dollars that would be spent with a passed referendum.

• Equalized Value: The district's equalized value has decreased the last two years. The lower the equalized value per student will increase state aid. The projections were run based on no change in the equalized value.

All numbers used in the projections are estimates based on many factors; prior years experience, state budget projections and enrollment projections to name a few.  The state aid calculation spreadsheet is attached, if more details are desired.

Q (12/16/11): Where can we get information the upcoming referendum? How much? What are the funds going to be used for? Etc. Also, can I get a copy of the past 2 audited financials for the school district?
A: Options are still under consideration, but the referendum dollars should provide for continued programming at the current level, and an opportunity to bring back about three positions possibly in the areas of technology and curriculum. As materials are developed a Webpage will provide quick access. The audited year-end report for 2010 is linked here. The report for the year-ended June 30, 2011 is linked here. It will be presented to the school board on December 19. This handout (Budget Forecast Model) shows the impact of the $900,000 referendum over the referendum period and one-year beyond. Feel free to contact our business manager, Kathy Dahl with questions.

Q (12/5/11): Why do the fifth graders have such a short recess and a super long lunch?
A: Both lunch and recess are approximately15 minutes. For 5th and 6th graders, lunch and recess combined is from 11:09-11:44.

Q (11/22/11): When you sent out your survey on why your referendum failed did you only include school staff and school parents, and not include Altoona tax payers?
A: The survey you are probably referring to (School Perceptions Survey) was done in March by a group of UW-Stout graduate students. The audience selected for this survey were parents and staff, however, we welcome your opinion regarding the failed referendum of 2010, and future referendums. We will be going to referendum in April, 2012. Last night the school board acted on a recommendation to reduce the annual financial impact of the referendum from $1.5 million to $900,000 per year. I believe this annual referendum cost represents a more realistic middle ground for the Altoona school district community.

Q (11/15/11): Why does the school dristrict furnish and pay for Tylenol and Ibuprophen for the hi school students? Both of these pills are available over the counter and probably carried by many of the high school students already. The time it takes to keep track of the students who take them, the time for the person dispensing them, plus the cost of the pills, should not be at taxpayer expense. If the parents want the students to take them, then they should furnish them. I could see having a small supply on hand for emergency, but why the record keeping? They are sold over the counter and available to anyone.
A: With parent permission, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are administered to students for pain to allow them to remain in school, and in the long run impact learning. Parental permission is a requirement of  Wisconsin statute 118.29.  Any medication administered at school must be documented as required by board policy and by state law. 

Q (11/10/11): Do What is the start date for the 2012-13 school year? Thank you!
A: The calendar is not yet set, but due to the state law that prohibits public schools from starting the school term prior to September 1, we can project a September 4 start date.

Q (10/18/11): Do the price of yearbooks vary depending on what school our kids are in (middle/high)?
A: Yes, the high school yearbook is more expensive than the middle school's. The major difference that effects costs is the number of pages and the durabiilty of the covers.

Q (10/14/11): Please explain why the students in Pedersen Elementary are no longer allow to speak in the hallways. They already are to be quiet in the classrooms, the lunch room and now the halls. When are they allowed to be kids?
A: Thank you for your timely question! This topic is addressed in a parent letter that will be distributed in the very near future.

Q (10/10/11): So, I hear the Middle school library let's you check out iPads for school but not take them home. Is this true?
A: The middle school library dos not have iPads for check-out at this time. The Title I program has a limited number with a translation application. They are currently being used with LES (limited English speaking) students. I few other classroom teachers have iPads for classroom use.

Q (9/15/11):  Is it the policy of Altoona Schools Althetics to give equal playing time to all participants in grades 7th and 8th?
A:  The goal is to strive to give equal playing time to all athletes through the course of the season. It may not result in equal playing time in a single game.

Q (9/9/11):  Hello, I am writing as to inquire if Altoona schools offer gymnasium rentals or wrestling(mat) room rentals. I do know that Eau Claire schools offer rentals, but prefer Altoona, as I am a resident and have a child enrolled in Pederson. I conduct an Aikido club that meets on the weekends, and with the weather changing, I am looking to move indoors.
A:  Please contact the Activities Office to request use of the facilities. Call them at 715-839-6031 ext. 416 or email Ann.

Q (9/8/11):  What programs are in place for students who English is not their primary language? Are there ESL/ELL programs at the middle school and high school? If so, how many students and teachers in the program? Where can I find more information about this matter?
A:  Altoona has a part-time ELL teacher/coordinator who works with teachers and students to support English language learners.  The middle school and high school combined has about 15 ELL students, with only a few who have very limited English.  There are no official ELL classes offered, but the ELL teacher meets individually with the highest-need students to develop their English skills and to help with classwork.  UWEC college student volunteers also work with ELL students in a similar way.   For more information, contact Terri Noel at tnoel@altoona.k12.wi.us

Q (9/7/11):  I have a homeschooled 7th grader who would like to play girls volleyball for Altoona. However, we live in Eau Claire. Is this at all possible or do you only allow Altoona residents to do this?
A:  Thanks for your interest. The opportunity for home school and nonpublic students to participate in extracurricular activites is only open to district residents. Check in your schoo district to see what opportunities are available.

Q (8/29/11):  Is there a basketball program for 2nd grade girls? If not, what grade does basketball start?
A:  The district-sponsored girls and boys basketball programs start in grade 7. There is the option of "club basketball" (Frontcourt for girls and Backcourt for boys) beginning in grade 3 or 4 depending on interest. Rodney Ellis is the contact for Frontcourt, 612-810-0956 (cell), rjellis85@att.net.

Q (8/26/11):  Why doesn't the School District invest in Solar Power by putting panels on the roofs of the schools? It could save so much money in the long run!
A:  Great question, and we asked one of our expert consultants at Focus on Energy. We found out that solar energy is expensive with a payback period of 40 years. He indicated that our priority would first be to replace our older boilers with energy efficient boilers, which have a payback of just ten years.This is certainly an area to keep in mind particularly, as solar costs decrease. Thank you for your insightful question.

Q (8/25/11):  Do we have any new 7th graders this year?
A:  Yes!  Everyone is looking forward to meeting them on September 2!

Q (8/25/11):  Do you have to attend the Athletic Code meetings to play school sports? What are the options if you don't attend the meeting? When is the high school one??
A:  The high school meeting was held on August 1. Students who missed the meeting may still play, but they need to contact the activities director first.  Forms are available on this webpage.

Q (8/22/11):  When does 7th grade volleyball start?
A:  The middle school athletic code meeting will be held in the evening on September 1. Watch the middle school calendar for more information. Practice for volleyball 7 will start on September 6.

Q (8/22/11):  Can students living in the Altoona School District, but attending a private school, join the Elementary DI team?
A:  Yes, as of last school year, home school and nonpublic students in grades 1-8 that reside in the school district have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular athletics and activities offered outside of the regular school day. Click here to review the list (may be subject to change), and indicate your interest.

Q (8/18/11):  My child will be starting High School this school year. Can you give me a rundown on the options for extra-curricular activities that are open to Freshmen besides sports?
A:  Opportunities include forensics, chess club, math club, Lean on Me, writing club, debate club, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), just to name a few. Contact Mr. Pepowski for more information.

Q (8/18/11):  When are senior pictures due in the high school?
A:  Turn in senior pictures to Mrs. Gard by December 2. A baby/toddler picture should also be turned in at that time for the graduation slide show.

Q (8/18/11):  What day is picture day?
A:  Picture day at Pedersen is on September 15. For the middle school, it is on September 14; and the the high school - September 2.

Q (8/10/11):  When is the meeting to explain the new math program in the middle school?
A:  A meeting has been scheduled for August 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the middle school LMC. It is an opportunity for parents to learn about and see the new math curriculum materials that were adopted for the middle school students. Information will go out to middle school parents on or around August 18.

Q (8/8/11):  Will the students have a Spring Break this year?
A:  A week-long Spring Break is scheduled for March 19-23. See the calendar for the big picture.

Q (7/26/11):  Why is the supply list shown for the Elementary and High School but not Middle School?
A:  The middle school list will be posted as soon as it's available. Now available!

Q (7/19/11):  Where can I find information about any programs that you have available for gifted and talented students?
A:  Gifted and Talented enrichment activities include Destination Imagination, Jason science activities, National History Day, research projects, Math Olympiad, and independent investigations. The G/T webpage (Support Services tab) is currently under construction.

Q (7/18/11):  I am awaiting a possible job offer from Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire. I am interested in living in Altoona and sending my 4th grade son and 6th grader daughter to your elementary and middle school. I understand that your school district may have a "limit" on class size. Is this true. I am wondering about approximate class size for grade school and middle school. Thank you for your response.
A:  Thank you for your interest in our school district! Next year our 4th grade classes will be between 23-25, and the 6th grade between 24-26.  Pedersen Elementary is a SAGE school. Under that state-sponsored program class sizes are limited to no more than 18:1 or 30:2 in grades K-3.

Q (7/13/11):  How does open enrollment work and how can I get further information?
A:  The open enrollment application period for the 2012/13 school year will be held in February 2012 for a three-week period. Complete information will be posted on our website no later than early January. Contact Joyce Orth at 715-839-6032 for more information.

Q (7/13/11):  When will you be able to view the schedules for the upcoming school year?
A:  Schedules will be available on Family Access on or around August 23. Click on the Parents Tab for the "Family Access" link. Call Mark Scheppke at 715-839-6168 to set up a new account.

Q (7/7/11):  Why am I suppose to buy a bag of candy for school?
A:  Please feel free to not make the candy purchase. We will look into your question and answer it before school starts.

Q (7/5/11):  My child wants to got take A.R. tests for the upcoming year and she said you could go to the school and take them in the summer. If you can, what are those dates?
A:  Thanks for asking! Yes, middle school students can come into the Title One room (across from the middle school library) on July 15 and July 29 from 10:30 to 1:30. They will be able to get credit for AR tests, pick out a book, and have a snack.

Q (6/23/11):  It would be very helpful to have the daily High School announcements posted to the web.
A:  Thanks for your comment. Our website tools provide "an announcement" function. We hope to implement it in the fall.

Q (6/6/11): When will the school be having an auction? Are they going to be selling computers?
A:  The district does have some equipment that will be available via our online auction this summer. The tentative dates are July 5 through July 11. There will be some computers, TVs and other AV equipment for sale. http://atlantis.altoona.k12.wi.us/auction/QuickAuction.asp

Q (5/26/11): Why is YouTube blocked?
A:  Thank you for submitting an excellent question. Some federal funding that our school district receives requires use of filtering technology to block websites or content that may be harmful to minors, including obscenity and pornography. CIPA is a federal law that requires school districts who receive E-Rate discounts to monitor online activity of students and to teach students how to be safe when online. While Youtube.com has a mix of interesting and educational videos that students can learn from,  it also offers many videos that are inappropriate for school-aged children to use or view. Teachers have the ability to temporarily unblock many sites if they feel the instructional value is sufficient, so students should check with their teacher if access is needed.

Q (5/16/11): Does the school district have bus monitors on the buses? How do you apply to be a bus monitor for the next school year?
A:  We do not use bus monitors on our buses.

Q (5/16/11): Where can I get the 9th grade school supply list for 2011-2012?
A:  The high school supply list will be available on the website starting in June.

Q (5/11/11): What awards are given out on High School Awards night?
A:  Certificates are given to all students receiving scholarships, athletic scholarships and awards. These include a plaque for seniors that have participated in a sport for three or more years, special recognition of our foreign exchange students, department awards - given to outstanding students in each department, and Valedictorian & Salutatorian Awards.

Q (5/9/11): How much does it cost the school to use the software that blocks students from using certain websites? Is it worth the money?
A:  The Altoona school district's Internet filtering appliance and licensing costs per year are as follows:

Q (5/6/11): When will the 2011/2012 4k placement letters be sent out?
A:  Placements have been finalized and the letters are in today's mail.

Q (5/5/11): My daughter said that the 6th graders have to take a 25 minute test on sex, teen pregnancies, drugs, and alcohol. She also said that I would get a letter in the mail about it saying that I need to give her a note saying that she doesn't have to take it. I never got the letter so could you mail it to all students who don't know about it?
A:  The letter and permission forms were sent to parents of 6th, 8th and 10th grade students on April 26. The voluntary survey is being given to 6th, 8th and 10th graders. It is called the YRBS (Youth Risk Behavior Survey), and it is sponsored by The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.  This survey asks students about their health behaviors.  The information is anonymous and will be used to improve health programming in our schools and community. If you did not receive the letter, please contact our middle school office at 715-839-6030 (or high school 715-839-6031) to verify your address and ask to have a new copy sent.  A copy of the survey is available in the middle school office. Parents are encouraged to review the survey before Monday, May 9.  If you have any questions, contact Heather Burich Holle 7-9th grade counselor and AODA coordinator at 715-838-4379.

Q (5/2/11): How often are teachers (middle school and high school) expected/required to update their grades to the Skyward program?
A:  The expectation is that the grades be updated on a weekly basis. If you have concerns regarding the time frame, please contact the individual teacher or the building principal.

Q (4/20/11): Why do you have recess for middle schoolers?
A:  Middle school students have a full academic schedule consisting of eight 45 minute periods each day. The 35 minute lunch/ recess period is a much needed break. The time is used to eat lunch, socialize with friends and engage in physical activity.

Q (4/20/11): What is the schedule for the week before Easter?
A:  School is in session Monday through Thursday of this week. Wednesday (today) is a half-day for students because of teacher inservice. Friday is an additional spring break day, so there is no school for staff and students, and all offices are closed that day.

Q (4/11/11): I live in Altoona. May I use the running track (for running) on evenings and weekends when it is not otherwise in use?
A:  The community is welcome to use the track anytime it is not in use.

Q (4/5/11): Does the school plan on going to a Referendum in 2012?
A:  For the 2011/12 budget, we plan on using a combination of staff concessions on retirement and health insurance, fund balance and modest reductions to meet the anticipated decrease in state funding for public education. Referendum discussions will take place in the fall, with the school board making the final decision. We cannot continue to increase class size and reduce programs without asking our community. The process in place in Wisconsin to ask the community - is the referendum process.

Q (4/5/11): When will the summer boys youth basketball camp be held for 2011?
A:  Please note: Summer sports camps are not part of the district programming. They are scheduled as follows, and information will disseminated by the program coordinators:   Boys Basketball Camp, June 20-23, 8 am to 5 pm;   Girls Basketball Camp, June 27-July 1, 8 am to 5 pm;   Volleyball Camp, June 13-17, 8 am to 4:30 pm.

Q (4/5/11): What math program does the middle school use? We are using Saxon math at our school now. We will be attending Altoona next year through open enrollment. Would our kids be able to attend any summer school classes?
A:  Next year the middle school will be adopting a new math curriculum. Two final choices remain - Connected Math Program and College Prepatory Math.  The decision will be finalized in early June. Nonresident students can attend RAILs camp, which is open to students entering 5-year old kindergarten through grade 6, if they will be attending in our district in the upcoming year under open enrollment. Other opportunities for middle school students include intermediate/advanced tennis and Outdoor Adventures. Course descriptions and registration information will be posted on the website as soon as it's available.

Q (3/30/11): I need to purchase a new computer and am wondering what programs are compatible with the schools for when the kids do papers at home. Currently we have MS works and it doesn't work. Also any other requirements need for HS?
A:  Each student has access to a school district Google email account and as part of that they have can create most documents for school using Google Docs. Google provides us for free a word processor, a spreadsheet application and a presentation application. Students have the ability to save their documents to their space on Google so they would have access to them wherever they are school or home. We use Microsoft Office 2007 on most computers in the district as well as the Google tools. Other than the Office tools there are no other requirements.

Q (3/18/11): Can Eau Claire residents attend summer RAILs camp sessions? What is the age or grade requirement for RAILs?
A:  Nonresident students can attend RAILs camp if will be attending in our district in the upcoming school year under open enrollment, or if they are residing in our school district during the summer. RAILs is open to students entering 5-year old kindergarten through grade 6.

Q (3/11/11): When is the Grandparents/Special Friend Day at Pedersen Elementary?
A:  Friday, May 6, 1:00-3:30 p.m.

Q (3/10/11): Why are students not able to see images on national news websites?
A:  Our Internet filter is set to block Banner Ads and advertising on all sites including news sites. As you may know ads that appear on many websites are driven or selected based on what the user is searching for. Sometimes the ads can be inappropriate for students. We have not had concerns expressed that the blocked ads are causing issues for students looking for information. We will ask the staff if there are problems and if filtering rules are needed. Thank you for your question. If further clarifications is needed feel free to return to the Open Forum.

Q (3/10/11):  Who conducts the principal evaluations? Do the teachers have any input in them? Thanks.
A:  The superintendent conducts the evaluations of the principals. There is not a formal process in place for teacher input. The superintendent does have an open door policy when it comes to informal input from anyone.

Q (3/9/11):  Is there a calendar for next year yet?
A:  The calendar is "in process." It should be ready for board discussion and possible action on March 21. Please note: The calendar was approved on March 21.

Q (2/28/11):  How many total students are there in all schools in Altoona?
A:  As of February 25, 2011, there were 1492 students enrolled in grades 4K-12. Click on the link for monthly enrollments for this school year through February.

Q (2/28/11):  Is there Rail camps this summer?
A:  RAILs Camp is scheduled as follows: Session 1: June 13-July 1 and Session 2: July 11-29.  Information about offerings will be available soon.

Q (2/18/11):  When is spring break?
A: This year we will have a week-long Spring Break, March 21-25. There is also no school on Friday, April 22