Late Start Friday FAQ
(2019-2020 School Year Only )
Why late start Fridays?
Teachers will use this time to participate in extensive professional development on the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) to promote effective teaching and learning of critical content in an effort to close achievement gaps in adolescent literacy, which is a district wide goal.
What is the rationale for selecting a delayed start instead of early release?
Many of our students are involved in athletics and/or activities right after school. If we sent students home early, the district would not be able to bus them back for activities. This would place the burden on families to provide transportation back to the building.
Why can't teachers do this kind of work after school or in the summer?
Scheduling time for teachers outside of the contractual hours would increase costs for the district. Additionally, many teachers already have after school commitments, such as extra-curricular activities which would make it difficult for teachers to work together consistently.
Don’t teachers already have planning time?
Yes, teachers use that time to plan lessons, grade assignments, and meet with parents. Due to schedule limitations, teachers do not have common planning time with their department or grade level colleagues to collaborate, discuss teaching strategies, review student data or discuss interventions to address students’ specific learning needs.
Aren't students going to lose valuable instruction time with the new calendar? Wouldn't students be better off just spending more time in school?
Research shows that an effective teacher has the greatest impact on student achievement. The goal of this professional development is to provide our teachers with the knowledge, tools and resources to meet the challenges of instructing students at all ability levels. The Friday delay schedule will allow students to still attend all of their classes each week, though Friday periods will be 30 minutes in length rather than the typical 50 minutes. The alternative would involve removing teachers from their classrooms several times a month for entire school days, which would result in a greater loss of instructional time. This would also be very costly for the district as we would have to hire substitutes.
Is there any research that shows this new calendar will really have an impact on student achievement?
There is extensive research about the benefits of teacher collaboration and consistent, on-going, job-embedded professional development. In response to this research, many school districts around the country have adopted similar schedules.
When will my child be picked up by the bus?
Busing for the high school will operate on a 2 hour delay. For example, if your student is picked up at 7:00 AM on a regular school day, on Friday the bus would pick up your student at 9:00 AM
My child goes to TCTC, when do they start school on Friday?
TCTC student schedules will not be affected by the two-hour delay schedule.
My child goes to TCTC, how will they be transported to school?
TCTC students will still be bused from the high school to TCTC just like last year. However, on Friday mornings transportation to the high school will be the responsibility of the parent/student.
If there is a two hour delay for weather, when will classes start at the high school?
In the event of inclement weather that would require a two-hour delay on a Friday, professional development will be cancelled and the district will run the normal two-hour delay schedule. High school students will report at 9:30.
Where can I learn more about SIM and the work the teachers will be doing?
Clink on the link below
http://sim.ku.edu/sites/sim.drupal.ku.edu/files/images/general/SIM%20in%20Support%20of%20Secondary%20Literacy%202011.pdf