Re: FHSD- Middle School Wednesday Early Release Day Proposal

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I worked in a district where all elementary schools
dismissed at 2:00 every Wednesday. This was to "make things
fair" as far as teacher plan time. (middle school teachers
got 1 personal plan and 1 team plan time) NO meetings
could be scheduled...it was for teacher plan/prep ONLY.
Being a teacher, I wouldn't want to attend professional
dev't every week or whatever because I have PLANNING to do!!!

On 12/17/08, Julie wrote:
> Hello All!
>
> My son is a 5th Grader in the Francis Howell School
> District. Recently I received a letter from his school
> about the District wanting to shorten his Wednesday's by
> 45 minutes every week, next year in Middle School for
> teacher planning and collaboration with other teachers
> with regard to the NCLB. I understand the District is
> giving parents an opportunity to learn more about this
> proposal and give feedback in January 2009. I plan to
> attend. However, I have concerns that I'm not quite sure
> how to articulate in a large group Q & A presentation
> style setting. So I'd like to open a discussion about it
> here with what I'm currently thinking. You may not agree
> with my views and that's fine, but I am looking for a way
> to support the proposal that will sit easier on my mind.
>
> I understand it is important for Teachers to collaborate,
> I don't understand why this should take place during my
> child's school time hours every Wednesday of the school
> week. Why not once a month? As there are already early
> release days throughout the school year for which the
> children miss for teacher improvement, meetings, etc.,
> sometimes twice a month. Four times a month for this one
> purpose just seems to be excessive to me and an un-
> necessary weekly burden on parents and students when the
> school day for Middle School Teachers could be extended to
> allow for such meetings on those days or a little every
> day, rather than taking that "learning time" away from my
> child in larger chunks every week.
>
> I also understand that teachers deserve to be paid for the
> things they do to help our children district wide, but I
> personally don't see how taking away 3 hours of learning
> time per month from these children will make a positive
> impact on the NCLB or my child's individual learning
> performance in school by the District expecting parent's
> to fork out an extra $80.00 per month permanently on after
> school childcare per month. I'd rather see the District
> work this extra money into their budget for teachers if it
> truly is necessary. Furthermore, some of these children
> may be released from school to homes without supervision
> because the parent's can't afford to pay for that
> additional childcare. Possibly increasing the chances of
> some of them getting into some kind of trouble because
> they are not in school.
>
> I can't help but feel that the negative impact to our
> student's education and family life may be far greater
> than the positive one here, when time learning is being
> taken away from them for "administrative purposes" that
> can be carried out by teachers for 10 minutes each morning
> or afternoon before school starts or ends for the day for
> the students.
>
> I feel that the current proposal interrupts the student
> learning process every week and causes possible family
> hardship that could result in parents feeling forced to
> support a proposal that could be better thought out
> without the children having to lose valuable time each
> week from the classroom.
>
> Can someone explain this to me in a way that will help me
> understand the benefit of taking additional learning time
> away from my child and giving it to teachers who, from
> what I understand, already plan and teach lessons that
> correspond to what the other teachers are teaching in
> their respective subjects so the children understand how
> they all connect to one another and learn more
> productively? I mean if this model of educating our
> children is currently being planned, used and analyzed by
> teachers within the time frame already allotted to them
> and it seems to be working on the Middle School level,
> then what is the extra time really needed for?
>
> Any insight into this subject by current FHSD teachers or
> concerned parents would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
>
>

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