If bell times change...

[Anonymous]

I was unable to attend the bell time forums that MCPS conducted to discuss the potential changes in start and stop times for schools. Can anyone who attended one of these events tell me whether the powers that be explained what they would do with the extra 30 minutes they propose to add to the elementary school day? Instructional time, specials, recess, longer lunch, or ????

[Anonymous]

They don't know. It's being labeled "Instructional time" but I asked that question at the December forum and was plainly told "We don't know exactly how it will be used." Fabulous. What great planning! <NOT>

[Anonymous]

And, it will not be with the classroom teacher, as this 30 minutes will is their planning time. So, someone other then the classroom teacher will be with the students during this time.

[Anonymous]

PP, would you please re-state your sentence (specifically the "30 minutes will is their planning time")?

[Anonymous]

Elementary school teachers have asked for additional planning time, so this would give them 30 more minutes of planning time during the day.

There is supposed to be a workgroup considering options for expanding or adding new specials during that time. I don't know if they are considering longer recess or lunch as options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don't know. It's being labeled "Instructional time" but I asked that question at the December forum and was plainly told "We don't know exactly how it will be used." Fabulous. What great planning! <NOT>

It's bad planning to ask for public comment on the idea of an elementary school day that has 30 minutes more of instructional time, but not yet know exactly what kind of instruction would take place during those 30 minutes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't know. It's being labeled "Instructional time" but I asked that question at the December forum and was plainly told "We don't know exactly how it will be used." Fabulous. What great planning! <NOT>

It's bad planning to ask for public comment on the idea of an elementary school day that has 30 minutes more of instructional time, but not yet know exactly what kind of instruction would take place during those 30 minutes?

Yes. Changes should in my opinion be made to fulfill a specific need, not merely for the sake of change. Note that in general I agree with the idea of lengthening the school day, but creating extra time but not knowing how that extra time will be used seems to invite the question of exactly why this extra time is necessary and beneficial to the student. If the school believes they need an extra 30 minutes, why do they believe this? What specific instruction do they want to provide that they do not currently have time for? Surely those who proposed the extra time had some sort of use in mind for it, and I believe that should be shared.

For example:
We wish to provide additional instruction in math because ____(some sort of data based on student scores indicating that more math instruction is needed for a majority of kids)___. In order to do this, we need to extend the school day by 30 minutes. OK, done most likely has my support.

We would like to offer foreign language instruction every day rather than only a few times a week in place of something else. This proposal would give us 30 dedicated minutes for foreign language instruction without said instruction reducing the time spent on other subjects. OK, done most likely has my support.

We would like students to have time to do more in depth study of science or social studies. The extra 30 minutes would be devoted to hands on experiments or history explorations. OK, done most likely has my support.

Or even: We don't think the kids currently get long enough for lunch and recess and an extra half hour would help us have time to give kids a longer time to eat. I would consider supporting a change for this reason.

Just tell me why you are asking for the change, and you are far more likely to have my support. If you cannot articulate your reasons for needing a change, I am likely to think it is not a very well developed idea, or not needed, and am unlikely to support it.

[Anonymous]

PP here - done should be this. Oops.

[Anonymous]

The change proposed is to fill a specific need - to start high school later. It's not about the ES kids needing something new but the new bus schedule won't work without adding to ES kids' days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Changes should in my opinion be made to fulfill a specific need, not merely for the sake of change.

The change is being made to fulfill a specific need -- namely, for the high school start time to be less early. Apparently, given the school bus constraints, it was not possible for the high school start time to be less early without having the elementary school end time be 30 minutes later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The change proposed is to fill a specific need - to start high school later. It's not about the ES kids needing something new but the new bus schedule won't work without adding to ES kids' days.

OK, and that makes sense. But I think it was bad planning to have a public meeting without having an idea (or several possibilities) for how the time would specifically be used at the elementary level. Most teachers I know feel that they could productively use additional instructional time in at least one subject, and I can think of several things of value that could be taught in this time - language, more in depth science/history, computer science, beginning public speaking, etc. I'm sure school officials could identify similar needs or desired additions - why couldn't they have developed one or more of these ideas instead of a vague proposal that seems, at least from the outside, to lack sufficient consideration?

[Anonymous]

Was there any indication of which school year this would be implemented?

[Anonymous]

2015-2016

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Changes should in my opinion be made to fulfill a specific need, not merely for the sake of change.

The change is being made to fulfill a specific need -- namely, for the high school start time to be less early. Apparently, given the school bus constraints, it was not possible for the high school start time to be less early without having the elementary school end time be 30 minutes later.

So if the specific need is to just wait for the bus to become available, then it should be fine for me to pick up my child 30 minutes earlier since he doesn't need to take the bus, right?

[Anonymous]

Was there any mention of using the additional 30 minutes for recess?