WINONA, Minn. – The Winona school district is sticking to its winter break at 10 days beginning December 24, even though some other districts in the state are extending their breaks because of staff fatigue. John Casper, Winona Schools spokesperson, acknowledged the advantages of an extended break but said a downside is additional stress that parents would suffer from a longer period of childcare than they expected. In an interview on KWNO, Casper said the district has looked at other ways to relieve faculty stress, which dates back to the Covid crisis and lingering extra duty because of staff shortages. Meeting schedules have been changed to free up time for teachers, Casper said. Also, he said, the district is trying to hire long-term substitutes and bring in other staff to assist.
