At Montevideo Public Schools, our commitment to enhancing student learning and professional growth drives our use of the Flexible Learning Year (FLY) calendar alongside the MRVED (Minnesota River Valley Education District) districts. This innovative approach to structuring the school year is in its ninth year of existence, and the core purpose for entering into the FLY is as strong today as it was in its beginning. Initially, we pursued the FLY calendar to increase learning opportunities early in the year to coincide more with state testing dates and to foster a culture of collaborative professional development. These goals continue to guide our efforts today as we pursue the vision of the FLY Collaborative of “improving student achievement by increasing educator effectiveness.”
A key benefit of the FLY calendar is the ability to share resources with other MRVED districts. Sharing resources allows us to reduce costs and increase the quality of professional development for our staff. This collective approach provides opportunities for professional collaboration that allows teachers from MRVED districts to gather to share ideas and improve instructional practices—opportunities that would otherwise be exceptionally challenging.
The structured “common days” in our calendar, designated for teacher professional development, enable us to provide valuable training without disrupting student learning. Programs like the MELT (MRVED Educators Learning Together) conference, attended by approximately 650 educators annually, offer nearly 100 sessions tailored to educators’ diverse needs. Thanks to FLY, our teachers benefit from insights from nationally recognized experts as well as local contributors, helping us improve instruction at a manageable cost. The common days and professional development opportunities include:
Three common days during each school year that focus on research based, high-impact instructional experiences, understandings, and strategies.
One flexible day during districts’ workshop days.
One Paraprofessional Workshop each fall focused on improved knowledge and practice.
Professional meetings for programmatic support and improvement.
Starting the school year prior to Labor Day allows Montevideo Public Schools to leverage MRVED resources effectively and maximize the benefits of the FLY schedule. This calendar structure solidifies our commitment to enhancing student outcomes by increasing educator effectiveness through collaboration. The Flexible Learning Year is an example of innovation sustained over time, allowing for continuous improvement in education.
A FLY application must be approved by MDE every three years to continue with a flexible learning year. The current three year application expires a the end of this current school year. MRVED School Districts are once again collaborating a 2026-2028 application that will allow for the flexible learning year to continue. As part of the application process each district must hold three public informational meetings. In Montevideo those meetings will be held in the district boardroom on November 12 at 6pm (as part of the school board meeting), November 20 at 3:30, and November 25 at 5:30. Any and all are encouraged and welcome to attend to learn more about the Flexible Learning Year.