Local Video
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| Schools may start an hour late each Monday (print) |
By: DAVID HENKE, Staff Writer
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Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009 11:00 pm
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NORTHFIELD — The Monday morning blues may be a thing of the past for Northfield students.
The Northfield School Board and district administration have proposed incorporating a one-hour late start on all Monday mornings into the 2009-2010 school year calendar.
The calendar modification, Superintendent Chris Richardson said, was prompted by the district’s need for a designated, regular staff development time. During the extra hour, groups of teachers and faculty members, called Professional Learning Communities (PLC), would meet and work collaboratively to analyze student testing data, identify student needs and implement new teaching strategies into their classrooms.
Under the current calendar, teachers and faculty groups meet on an ad hoc, infrequent basis. Richardson believes moving the PLC meetings to a weekly schedule would allow teachers to rapidly respond to classroom needs and new instructional techniques, thereby benefiting the students in their classrooms. The district will also switch from trimesters on the elementary level to semesters. Such a change, Richardson said, would mean more instructional hours for students in all grades, since all students currently get a day off when the elementary schools have their trimester break. All total, Richardson said, 14 instructional hours would be lost over the course of the year due to the new calendar.
Anne Larson, a Kindergarten teacher at Greenvale Park Elementary and a member of the district’s calendar committee, believes the scheduled PLC meetings would be a boon to teachers and students in the schools.
“It gives us a chance to sit down together and talk about our kids, and it gives us a chance to take a look at the data and see where kids are doing really well, and where kids are falling through the cracks,” Larson said.
Richardson said he and the board are aware of the concerns that parents and community members might have with the new calendar. For that reason, the district is examining the possibility of changing several programs, like the Middle School Youth Center and Kid Ventures, so that parents could drop their children off on Monday mornings before school. Potential costs to parents and the district haven’t been determined.
To allow the community to have its say on the proposed calendar changes, the district will be posting a survey on its Web site, www.nfld.k12.mn.us/, early next week. Currently, an FAQ and an outline of the 2009-2010 calendar, along with additional background information about the changes are available on the site. The school board votes on the new calendar at their Monday, March 9 meeting.
Richardson said community members may also e-mail Administrative Assistant Donita Delzer at Donita.Delzer@nfld.k12.mn.us with concerns or opinions, or contact members of the school board, whose phone numbers and e-mail addresses are also listed on the district Web site.
“We’re going to try to offer people multiple ways to offer the board feedback,” Richardson said. “We’re still trying to look at what all the options are.”
IN DETAIL
What will be the impact on class schedules on Mondays For Northfield Public School students?
• Elementary — Elementary K+ students and students in grades 1-5 will attend classes as usual for the shortened day. Students will be able to attend all specialist programs.
• Middle School — Middle school students will attend all classes on a shortened schedule with each period being 45 minutes long instead of the regular 51 minutes.
• High School — High school students will attend all classes on a shortened schedule with each period being 41 minutes long instead of the regular 50 minutes.
• Northfield ALC — ALC students will attend all classes on a shortened schedule with each period being 70 minutes long instead of the regular 85 minutes.
• If there is no school on a Monday for any reason, there will be no other late start scheduled for that week.
• Half-day kindergarten — Mondays would be 1⁄2 hour shorter for both morning and afternoon kindergarten students and Hand in Hand Preschool. Morning kindergarten students would come to school one hour late on Monday mornings with all other students in their school. They would stay at school 30 minutes later on Monday mornings. Afternoon kindergarten students would come to school 30 minutes later on Monday afternoons and would go home with all other students at the end of the school day.
• Find a link to the district’s FAQ page
="http://www.nfld.k12.mn.us/forms/homepage/calendar/faq.pdf">here.
— David Henke can be reached at dhenke@northfieldnews.com or 645-1100. |
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Don't believe everything you read! Some of the "facts" stated here are not quite right. Yes, they are eliminating the trimester days off, but that does not add to instructional time because they did not add those days to the total number of student contact days. Now, if they want to add 2 days to the 173 required days then this would be true but that is not the case.
In fact, by going to this plan, students would have 24 hours LESS instructional time than they do with the current calendar. Currently, the 2-hour late start/early release totals to only 8 hours; there are 32 Mondays in the proposed calendar (32-8 = 24 hours less instructional time).
Let me be clear, I am not against dedicated time for PLCs to meet. But why can't they do it outside the student instructional time. There is NOTHING preventing them from meeting before or after school. NEA contracts are up for renewal this June. If there is real benefit in holding weekly 1 hour PLCs, then they should be negotiated into the contracts by having them meet one hour before or after school each week.
This would be the best of both worlds: PLCs could meet weekly and instructional time would not be impacted.
By the way, if working parents of elementary aged students can't get off work, they'll have to pay for KidVentures to watch their kids.
If you agree that they should look at other options, let the School Board know. You can find their contact information on the Nfld Public School District website.
are you sure about the comparison of hours, Maxwell? I believe that some of the "holidays" the kids have off are actually teacher workshop days. (I still agree that this plan amounts to a huge inconvenience and expense for something which, if it's so important, ought to have a place outside of normal instructional hours.)
Yep, I'm sure. If you look at the calendar, they show how many student contact days there are planned - still only 173. Even though they have removed some of the "holidays" that used to be the trimester workshop days for teachers. They didn't "convert" those days to student contact days as this article may lead you to believe. Look at the proposed calendar compared to this year's calendar and you will quickly come to the same conclusion.
thanks, Maxwell. Either way -- 14 lost hours or 24,, I'm against it. And disturbed by how much the tone of the article makes it sound like, feedback of not, the decision is already made. If this time for meetings is so important, and I fully accept that it is, it needs to be worked into a contract that puts instructional time as a top priority, and recognizes that parents' schedules are not infinitely flexible. Nor their wallets ready for another expense. I hope NN is planning to do an article on parents' reactions to all this!
If there is really a need for a consistent meeting of teachers, why couldn't it be done outside of the regular school schedule?
Glad that I am not the only one not in agreement with the plan. Spread the word to your fellow parents. Contact the School Board members.
For further clarification, the trimester days were removed in order to keep the school year from going into mid-June. The lateness of Labor Day and the desire to have a two week Winter Break caused for them to look for options to shorten the overall school year. That's why those were removed; not to make up for the lost time due to weekly one hour meetings as Dr. R. is trying to spin here.
It's not too late. Don't assume that this is a done deal.
While this one hour late start would be a perk for us Daycare Providers to earn a little extra $$, I do not agree that teachers should hold their meetings during school hours. Parents shouldn't be put out. Teacher know from the get go that they will have to attend meetings and such after school so this should be no surprise to them to meet after school for this meeting.
As a Daycare Provider we have to have so many hours of training and we do this training late in the evening during the work week and also on weekends. Try sitting in 8 hour classes a couple times a year on those cherished weekends that you could be spending with your loved ones along with many other late night meetings. I would never think to inconvenience my families and do my daycare training during work hours and expect them to wait for me to open an hour late. This is ridiculous! When you start a job you find out in advance if their might be meetings that would require you to stay after work for. Teachers should know this already and not expect all the countless numbers of families to rearrange their schedule for them.
I would hope that not all teachers think this one hour late start it acceptable. Teachers do a wonderful job teaching our children but need to remember that the knew before going off to college their would be many evenings where they would get home late due to meetings and conferences and such.
Here's an idea... Why not have All School Meetings every Monday instead of once a month if you feel you HAVE to have your teachers meetings in the morning. This way the children have a place to go without paying for extra childcare or parents missing an hour of work each week. !!!Get with the program people!!!
This has got to be a joke. Remember MEA this was supposed to be a time when educators got together and shared ideas, best practices, not really what you are getting now is it?
You constantly hear about increaseing the start date for schools, staying in school longer because educators say the students need it?
And now what shorter school days so teachers can get together which they won't. Another example of putting the kids first right?
Oh that's right Northfield was against Q-Comp for much the same reason, so they are out those additional dollars.
Remember it is all about the kids right? Not a chance.
Don't sit idly by. The Northfield News poll as of the writing of this comment shows 70% of folks are against the late start. Don't stop there. Contact the School Board and let them know how you feel. Their contact information can be found on the Nfld Public Schools website.
One more fact to put under your hat. Thirty-one (31) states require "instructional days" of 180 days or more including Wisconsin and Iowa. Minnesota is one of lowest at only 173 days. Now the District wants to reduce that even more. The 24 hours less time equates to 4 "instructional days" so our District would be at the equivalent of only 169 days.
instead of demonizing the MEA, perhaps the real problem is this: the school board (and taxpayers?) don't want to actually PAY teachers for this time. So they are trying to squeeze it out of instructional time?
How about a compromise. Since the NEA contracts state that building hours are from 7:45 to 3:45 every day, PLCs could meet for a half hour after school one day a week. The only exception would be Bridgewater and they could do it for a half hour before school. That way teachers are still being paid to meet. PLCs get their weekly meeting; student instructional time isn't reduced. Seems like a win-win doesn't it?
How about a compromise. Since the NEA contracts state that building hours are from 7:45 to 3:45 every day, PLCs could meet for a half hour after school one day a week. The only exception would be Bridgewater and they could do it for a half hour before school. That way teachers are still being paid to meet. PLCs get their weekly meeting; student instructional time isn't reduced. Seems like a win-win doesn't it?
Northfielder,
I am sure there is more then enough money available to pay teachers.
Despite a drop in housing prices my property taxes still have gone up 12% this year.
It can't be the money.
Turn your frustration into action. Tell all your friends. Email the School Board and tell them that you disagree. Go to the district website and complete the survey (not yet available) telling them you disagree. Most importantly, DO something. We can't just let this happen...
WHAT?! Survey is flawed! I just went to take the survey on the district website, no real "options" are offered to select in the survey. It's either the current way (2 hour early release/late start 4 times a yr) or this new proposed plan of 1 hour every week. Then, it forces you to to say whether you want KidVentures or not. Again, no real options.
Also, be sure to vote on the Nfld News online poll on the home page regarding this subject.
Let your voice be heard!
I am all for this. Have they thought about going to a 4 day school week? I know alot of schools cutting one day out to save money.
I'm very upset with the school district AND the school board for "drinking the koolaid"
This proposal and the sneaky way it was set up are a slap in the face to working parents.
Staff development should not take priority from instructional time.
Parent surveys should allow parents to express the full range of opinion, NOT just choose between options the DISTRICT wants to allow.
Dr. Richardson needs to be removed. He obviously cannot provide leadership that is focussed on education.
Rosie12, you are absolutely right. In fact, has anyone looked into a 3-day school week? Or a 2-week school year, with round-the-clock instruction while the kids drink coffee? On second thought, you know what? There are no jobs anyway. Let's lower those pesky property taxes and do away with school altogether. Let those other countries fool around with their fancy education and all that nonsense.
Wow, that *is* a seriously flawed survey, Maxwell.
1. "Do you a) agree with our plan, or b) agree with our other plan. ".
2. "Since you agree with our plan, do you prefer arrangement #1 or #2?"
3. "Should parents be a) expected do what we say, or b) choose to do what we say.
Reminds me of my dad flipping a quarter: tails I win, heads you lose!
PARENTVOICE you should do you research first before you sit here and bash Dr. Richardson and others.
Maybe I am missing something.
rosie12, you say that you are all for this. May I ask why? I really would like to better understand.
After contacting all the school board members in regards to this I was directed to the survey as well.
The survey is completely skewed and makes me wonder if this matter is already decided??
Peter,
My view is that the matter IS already decided, unless a tsuami of protest erupts. The survey is so skewed as to all but broadcast that. School board members I've communicated with all have the same answer ("come to the meeting and you can speak for three minutes--or you can take the survey" as if those restricted avenues of communication are all that are possible.
Rosie12
I'm sorry you disagree with my position. But I actually have a right to express it, I think. Isn't that what this site is for?
As previousy posted, it appears the school board has already made their decision. Sounds just like the redistricting which occurred 3 years ago when Bridgewater's start time was changed to one hour later. Bridgewater kids have already lost an hour of prime instructional time every day of the school year. Now they'll lose another hour every Monday, every week. The cost saving predictions behind the redistricting change have not come to fruition.
I seriously doubt that early Monday morning meetings will result in better quality instruction for our children. How productive will a teacher be if they are required to start each week by dropping their own school-age children off at daycare rather then the child's classroom?