The website states that schools will start 10 minutes earlier on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The chart below this information on the website does not reflect the wording associated with the chart. The high schools have a late starts. District 54 has an early dismissal on Wednesday which make more sense for an Elementary district. As a working parent, it will be difficult to start work 40 minutes later on every Wednesday. Are they going to provide some type of before school care on Wednesdays? At least with an early dismissal, the kids can go directly to their current after school daycare. Many parents do not use before school care. this late start creates a problem for families. I hope we are informed before the end of the school year. I found out by reading the district website. I have 3 kids (2 elementary and 1 JH), and never received the notice. I do not see how this is a "win win" solution for the parents

Thats right another change made without asking those it will really effect. How about not changing the schedules of the students and parents. Make the changes for professional development for teachers at the end of the school day. Oh, that's right Mr. Thompson you don't need to talk to the people who pay your salary and get their input, I forgot you are in charge and there is NOTHING we can do about it. You make it loud and clear your in charge and you will continue to PROVE it!!!!! Thanks for another reminder and putting me in my place.

I think this plan works more for high school kids since they don't require supervision. When this plan kicks in it will be interesting to see how many teachers come to school early on Wed for professional development and not just sleep in. The parking lots will tell us if they are at least getting to school early

I sent an e-mail asking for actual specifics of exactly WHAT the teachers will be doing with the extra forty minutes on Wednesdays and received NO response. Is this when they will be engaging in their enhancement programs? Guessing not. Thanks for giving working taxpayers a vote/say in this ridiculous schedule change which benefits nobody.

Besides the fact that this is a huge disruption to working parents (especially single parents), daily routines offer children a sense of stability. Inconsistency causes confusion. These children do not need another thing to stress about. I sure wouldn't want my child's grades to suffer because of this decision. Who's priorities do we have in mind anyway? Teachers have been able to collaborate, grade, plan and train just fine in previous years. I don't see why this needs to change now.

I'm sure that the small percentage of teachers who actually take advantage of this program (likely in the 10-15% range) will not in any way justify the inconvenience to parents who have to completely rearrange their work schedules for this, not to mention to justify the cost to the taxpayers for this program. I can't tell you how much it disgusts me to have to pay my taxes for a program that is optional for teachers, most of whom will likely use the extra 40 min to sleep in and arrive later with the students. It's bad enough we the taxpayers have to foot the bill for their pensions because they are too lazy to put their own money away in a 401k like the rest of us do but now you want us to pay for them to sleep in late? That makes me sick. And btw school board thanks a lot for putting this to a vote with the taxpayers who are funding this stupid venture, it really shows us all how much you care about our $$$ and how little you value our thoughts on your plans to spend OUR money!

Can anyone explain to me what the 4 teachers institute and 3 plan days are used for each year?

What about using summer for teacher development? The two weeks at Winter Break and a week at Spring Break could be used for teacher institute days, enrichment days, etc.

I object to this change.

Please attend the next Board meeting to voice your objections directly to the Board (January 16th at 7 pm at Walter R. Sundling JHS).

If you can't attend the meeting, e-mail the entire Board (go to the bottom of http://www.ccsd15.net/pages/CCSD15/Board_of_Education_Group/Meet_Your_Board_of_Education).

Are you kidding me? What the hell are working parents supposed to do with a 9:30 AM start time one day a week? This is complete BS!

I too object to this change. I think teachers should use the afternoon for this. Starting late on Wednesday will not work for most parents. In today's economy companies are not willing to adjust employees work schedule for their childrens school schedule. In this economy parents also cannot put their employment at risk. Childcare is very costly and they do not have rates that accomodate a schedule for 1 day a week before school. I see no reason why teachers cannot stay after school instead. I do not have an issue with teachers, I am married to one.

Also, I did not recieve any information on this possible change prior to the decision already being made. I have also completed surveys and this was not discussed. I put in survey that discussed changing to private bus service which I am also against.

Nice that the school district accomodates the staff in career growth and certification in this manner. Wish my employer would give me 40 mins a week for career growth and change my work schedule to allow it.

I would like to see the "pros and cons" discussed when considering a Late Start over an Early Dismissal. On page 50, of the "Agenda Attachments for 12-12-12 Board Meeting", it states: "After continued discussion of the pros and cons of late start vs. early release, the consensus was that a late start would be the best decision for students and staff and have less negative impact on all involved stakeholders."

Generally D15 has done an excellent job of soliciting parent input on changes but that was not the case here. This really became public knowledge about the same time the CTC contract was posted on the website.

A paragraph in the contact anticipates community opposition:

"Weekly release of students by means of a late start except that the concept of late start mey be amended to an eaarly release in the event there is overwhelming opposition from parents in the District 15 community during the development stages prior to implementation".

I am in favor of additional training for teachers but this puts a very big burden on parents, particularly working parents. There must be a better alternative to a late morning start.

1. The contract states "the late start may be amended to an early release in the event there is overwhelming opposition from parents in the community". It is not a done deal. Parents needs to have their voices heard if they want to change it to an early release. Email, call Supt. Thompson. Email the BOE. Address them at the next BOE meeting on Jan. 16th.

2. The 40 minutes lost instruction time will not be able to be recovered 10 minutes at a time. It will disappear into thin air. A true shame for our kids. This is a nice to have, not a need to have.

Wow. With exception to the few posting rational comments - most of you are coming off like whining little brats. Grow up. Both my husband and I are working parents, you know what, we will figure something out. Think outside the box. Enlist in friends and family and others for that one day a week. Do a group thing with a bunch of other families - but having an hour without the kids one day a week so teachers can plan, enrichments - whatever they need to do to lessen my kids from having subs throughout the year is worth it to me. Most of you probably don't even realize how often your teachers are out of the classroom for all or part of the day -- this late start will lessen it. Most of you probably sit at a desk all day -- since most of these "working parent" comments were posted between 8-11am obviously you don't work too hard -- use some of your time and think of a solution. Try and be a better person and not b**ch and moan and every little thing that does't go 100% your way and learn to deal with it. Grow up. Be nicer. Because if this is the way you act when you don't get what you want I bet your kids act the same way -- and that shouldn't be something you are proud of.

Bucephalus - since by your own admission you have no kids in the district then you can't understand how this does affect those of us who do.

Bucephalus - I didnt say you didnt have a right to an an opinion or a right to speak. You put those words in my mouth. I just said you cant understand the situation of those of us that have kids in D15 and are affected by this change. Maybe when you have kids and if both you and your spouse work we can talk then.

I didn't say you said something wrong [please pay attention]; I said "you can't understand how this does affect those of us who do [have kids in the school system]."

Aggressive and mean spirited would do well to define a number of the comments above. This should be a forum for comments, sharing of concerns and not personal barbs.

It is time for the taxpayers and parents to take this nightmare back from the teachers' unions. Who is the idiot who thought this up? If they want the teachers to come in early one day a week that should be it. Teachers want to be TREATED like professionals but want to ACT like hourly maintenance workers. Professionals just show up when they have to. These folks work 7.5 months a year 5 1/2 hours a day earning pay that full time people make. It is time to say ENOUGH. And who is the idiot superintendent that we hired that is going along with this. Putting this on the backs of parents and students is making district 15 the laughing stock of Illinois. Some of these schools will start at 9:30. Reckless. We were such a good district when I moved here. Now we're a joke and the teachers are jokes. Lazy, indifferent and unwilling to lift a finger beyond their 5 hour days. Travesty.

I have a lot of respect for teachers. Several D15 instructors live in my neighborhood and are wonderful. However, all professional put in more hours than required without special benefits or more money. They make a salary and aren't paid hourly. My husband has to frequently fly to China or other parts of the world for extended periods of time and has to be on late night/early morning conference calls when it is required for his job. Let's leave the working parents and children's schedules alone. We are swamped. Teachers can meet after school, before the regularly scheduled school day and/or during the breaks (winter, spring, summer) for instructional development. It is less of a burden on them.

"Being touted as a way to provide more professional development for teachers while maintaining current instructional time, District 15 plans to change its schedule for the 2013-2014 school year."

I haven't been rigorously following this story, so I have some questions that may or may not have answered in regards to the above statement. Is this really "more professional development" for the teachers in addition to what they already had in place? Or, is this an alternative to the previous contract's provision that teachers met during class time for "professional development" and,therefore, required the hiring and paying of substitutes regularly in the classroom to teach our children? That had always been one of my pet peeves! If it is the former, how much development time do teachers need that cannot be accomplished through the current process in additional to regularly scheduled meetings at the end of one school day a week (or during holiday breaks - (winter, spring, and summer) and through Teacher Institute days? If it is the latter, than it is time the union STOP taking teaching time from our students and communities and preventing teachers from doing what they love to do - interact with their students. I truly don't believe most teachers would object to 40 extra minutes a week 'unpaid' as they are salaried employees. They love what they do and are terrific at it. Those who object need to get an hourly job if they think that is how the world works.

Last comment, then I will see you all at Sundling, if anyone truly believes that10 additional minutes 4x a week is acceptable to replace a solid 40 minutes of instruction in one day, then let's have the teachers meet 4 times a week for 10 minutes a day for instructional enrichment. No one would go for that because you can't do a whole lot in 10 minutes, even if it is 40 minutes per week.

For all you guys that are complaing, instead of complaining you should be making plans. You have 9 months to figure out what to do. I am sure you know someone that does not work, that has a student in the district. Or even a grandparent that would love to spend 40 minutes with there grandchild. Teachers work more then 5 1/2 hours a day. Do you know how long it takes to grade papers, or math test, or 50 english papers that has to be read. This is all done at home after hours. What about when you child need help study for a test or help with that math problem. They work with them after school. Most of you that are complaining are doing it at work. So I guess you have down time. Most teachers are at school well before the start time and stay after.

AG, why so angry? 40 minutes extra one night a week after school isn't the end of the world , especially if you what you say is true - that they are early and stay late anyway. I personally, am not complaining about teachers, just their union. Your remarks are very callous and out of touch to those who are single parents, who don't have family support groups, etc. (It also irks me that you believe others should watch children for 'free' because someone doesn't work in the neighborhood.) WHY is it the union's way or no way? What about compromise for the best of all - teachers, students, parents, taxpayers? This proposal is NOT the best solution. Sorry, but you really can't force your will and rudeness on the taxpayers.
One other point, grading homework and meeting with students is part of a teacher's job, just like doctors have to be on 24 hour call notice, firemen have to be at the station for 24 hours shifts and drop everything in the event of a fire, etc. Teachers also can do some of this work during their down times - when the students are at computer, library, gym. Don't complain about how much work is involved -- that can be said of ALL jobs and professions. This type of comment just comes across as arrogant and doesn't help your cause.

I never said to watch for free. I never said it wasn't there job to met with students. People are saying teachers only work 5 1/2 hours day. I just stating that is not true.
When the students are in the computer lab, the teachers are there with them helping them. Library time and gym time you can not met with other teachers. I didn't complain about how much work is involved, that is there job. Just stating a fact, that teachers work more then you guys are saying. Just like a doctor or fireman that is ther choice. They wil never please everyone. When the district wanted to change the start of school in Augest you guys all complained. It would be nice to be out in May and not June.

All,
After seeing the incredible response, both positive, negative and in-between to this article, I implore those of you that need to, to try harder to be respectful of one another. I have not deleted comments (yet) but I kindly ask that however minimal the name-calling and jabs appear, they stop now. There are obviously very strong feelings here. Let's try and respect that opinions and family situations coming into these proposed changes, vary greatly.
Thank you.
Melanie Santostefano, Palatine Patch editor.

In the defense of teachers, it is a lot more difficult than you think to teach a classroom of 28 kids. I have spent a great deal of time at my children's schools. The teachers are not lazy. They really put a great deal of effort into teaching the children. They really care and it shows. They stay in on their lunch hour or come in early to help students who need extra help. They even go as far as participating in the schools talent show which requires them putting together a routine in their off hours every year (this includes the principal, assistant principal and other staff members). When I drive by at night I still see several cars in the parking lot. My one child who is in now in Junior high comes home every day and raves about the teachers and is doing very well which is more than I expected. Also, they do not make as much as money as you think. However, I do agree that they should stay late one day a week. I agree with Kathy O. that 10 additional minutes 4x a week is can’t replace a solid 40 minutes of instruction in one day. Also, some parents do not have any options for care in the morning before school if it were to start later and employers are not going be ok with employees coming in late. Not everyone has grandparents or extended family. Daycare facilities do not offer care for 1 hour 1 day a week and then free drop off service before school.

I agree with other sentiments that it would be better to have early release than late arrival. My children are in after care, but not morning care. If their current program will allow one day a week before care, that is ok, but it would be a lot easier if it was an early release.

Keep in mind that future discussion about this at the D15 level won't be whether it happens or not, or whether it happens during the school day or afterwards; the professional development time is in the CTC contract as either late start or early dismissal. Those seem to be the only two choices. So "All options for making the best decision will be considered" is actually very limited.

I have read through many of the posting, and I see so many quoting the contracts, quoting time, numbers and more. When you really boil it down to what I constantly hear quoted by advocates of educators, the call out "for the children" is really not. My home is a two working parent’s household, not because we want to, but we HAVE to. This shift is an extreme burden to those who do not have family or a support system nearby. From my preliminary research, there are really no services willing to support one morning a week for parent that MUST be at their jobs by 8am. The few there are will be booked or requiring a lotto system. What if you can’t secure a spot? This equals extra costs for parents already strapped with day to day living expenses. This will add an expense we do not have now, this will add to scheduling heartaches we do not have now, and will throw a family into a stressful dilemmas of morning care weekly we do not have now. This might be convenient for the educators, but how do you explain this to all of the families this impacts. I would love a quantifiable benefit report of what this brings to the children, not quotes from contracts but what value does it directly bring to the children and the families in District 15 NOW.

Correct...
Personally am in same boat.. not family system to support and both my wife and I work :-) .. Looks like Committee is entrusted with taking feedback from community ( coming weeks ) and that survey results will be shared in Board communication's committee forum on Jan 26th .. location will be shared as well. I think this is big change for parents on wednesday so no decision is made yet on early release or late. We will have to wait for survey and participate in survey & forum proceedings. And yes we should seek how this 40m development is working out..am sure there will be some SMART ( Specific, Measurable,Attainable,Realistic,Timely ) and some metrics , reporting around it year over year or every 6 months or so.

It turns out the teachers' length of day will not be impacted by this. They will not be working 40 extra minutes as stated previously. Per the contract, available on the District web site:

"Adjustment in the Teacher work week so that there is no increase in the Teacher work day, subject to section VII.A.2. This agreement shall be accomplished by reducing the fifteen (15) minutes prior to the school day to five (5) minutes in Section VII.A.2. Such five (5) minutes shall be non- instruction and non-supervisory."

Following example on CCSD15 site;
http://www.ccsd15.net/pages/CCSD15/News/2012-12-13_D15ChangesStartTime

5m early and 5m late for each day except wed for student
40m saved will be used to start late on wed for teacherd developement program.

Abdul - the text says "begin 10 minutes earlier on each of the other four weekdays" but the chart shows starting 5 minutes early end ending 5 minutes later each day. I wonder which is correct?

Am I understanding the teacher arrival time correctly? Currently my childs school starts at 7:55 am, and the old contract then states the teachers have to be there 15 minutes early - i.e., 7:40 am. (That is when the busses open their doors and the school doors open for students to come in the building).

If school will now start at 7:45 does the '15 minutes early' clause mean teachers have to be there at 7:30 am?

It appears not based on the clause "This agreement shall be accomplished by reducing the fifteen (15) minutes prior to the school day to five (5) minutes". The staff still has to be there at 7:40 am.

Hi Scott (and all),
I contacted D15 about whether the proposed schedule change would include a school day that begins 10 minutes earlier, or one that begins 5 minutes early and end five minutes later (for M-T-TH-F). This has not yet been decided, according to the deputy superintendent.
I am told a committee is working with a number of scenarios, and will be sending out an electronic survey to get feedback from parents by the end of this week.
Have a great day.
Melanie

My concern is around the arrival time of teachers vs arrival time of the students vs start of the school day. Right now there is a 15 minute period between when the students enter the building and when instructional time starts. In that 15 minute period the child has to get to their classroom, put away materials in their locker, go into the classroom, take their chair down off of their desk, turn in their homework to the teacher, etc, and (at Jane Addams) have breakfast.

Will there still be 15 minutes for all that or will it be reduced to 5 minutes (based on Vicki's quoting of the new contract)?

Scott,
Thanks for noticing the text vs example in table on that link.
I contacted D15 Superintendent to update the document so that proposals can be clearly understood;

I think we should have somehting like below

Now:M-F
Student Enter Building:
Teachers Arrival Time
Instruction Start Time Start:

Proposed per contract - 1 scenarios
M-T-Th-F
Student Enter Building:
Teachers Arrival Time
Instruction Start Time Start:

Wed:
M-T-Th-F
Student Enter Building:
Teachers Arrival Time
Instruction Start Time Start:

Wed:
Teachers Development program start time/End Time.

Scenario - 2
like above

I will be there on the 26th with as many people as possible including the kids who will be impacted and left with some random Wed AM childcare mess to ensure this does not happen. Not a single person I know agrees with this. The kids need to have the same schedule each day, no question. Most people in Palatine are dual working household or single parents and they can't be to work late each Wednesday to accommodate this and its really avoidable in my opinion. Please just be reasonable and don't waste people's time on all of this anxiety when we know this can't work. We don't need Palatine parents at a disadvantage in their workplace or our children being disadvantaged in their schooling by schedule disruptions like this.

If you would like to sign a petition on this subject, the address for the petition can be found below:
http://www.change.org/petitions/ccsd15-school-board-listen-to-constituents-late-arrival-early-dismissal-schedule-enrichment-time-end-of-the-day-friday-no-lost-instruction-time

If you would like to fill out the District survey on this topic, the address for the survey can be found below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LateStartEarlyRelease

@ Scott you bring up some good comments requireing answers THANK YOU
Wih a 7:55 start the busses start unloading at 7:40 when the teachers get to their class rooms giving the students time to take care of all the things you mentioned. "get to their classroom, put away materials in their locker, go into the classroom, take their chair down off of their desk, turn in their homework to the teacher, etc, and (at Jane Addams) have breakfast."
With the proposed 10 minute early start that would mean school would start at 7:45. The question would be do the busses arrive at 7:30 to give the students that same time to prepare for their day or do the busses need to wait for the teachers to be in the classrooms and not release until 7:40. OH WAIT THE CTC contract says the 5 MINUTES BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS ARE NON-SUPERVISORY FOR THE TEACHERS. That means the pre-school activities you described will be unsupervised time in the school or the bus release time is 7:45 and the pre-school activities you described become part of the instruction time.

The 1-6 grade teachers already have 30 minutes 4 days per week and a full hour the 5TH day for planning. Junior High teachers have 35-45 minutes(1 class schedule) for individual planning and 35-45 minutes for team planning EVERY DAY.
If the intent is for all 3RD grade teachers to coordinate lesson plans , how can a teacher at Paddock (a 1ST tier school) coordinate with a teacher at Lake Louise (a 2ND tier school) when their 40 minute late start is not the same time?

There are so many holes in this proposal it is rediculos!!!! These problems don't even consider the child care aspect of all of this.
CCSD15 and the CTC please go back to the drawing board.

You people REALLY NEED to go to the upcoming Board of Education meeting this Wednesday January 16th at Walter Sudling Jr high at 7pm 1100 N Smith St., Palatine. You people really need to voice your opinions on the hot topics that are going on in our school district recently concerning our children and parents, The Board of Education on January 10th got two bids to outsource our bus drivers and now the subject of this late start early dismissal of school times, just by showing up to the meeting shows them that the community cares about what's going on. do not wait till the end of the month the sooner we all talk about it the better:))

DUH The administration talks of other school districts having late starts or early dismissal. THEY ARE ON A differant TIER SYSEM. How much SMOKE will the commmunity take from CCSD15 before there are request for resignations? How about the BOE following up on breach of contract or outright violation of state laws??? What about child endangerment?
Check out the RFB sent to private bussing companies!! It included route sheets for special needs students (a needed detail) BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD CHILDRENS NAMES, ADDESSESS, PHONE NUMBERS AND BIRTH DATES. Who released this private data and who posted it in the RFB on an open web site??????? 1ST and 2Nd graders can get away with an "I'M SORRY" adults, people with responsability, need to be held accountable!!! Accept their resignation or releave them of their position!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dist 54 was given as example for privatisation of school buses, but i checked that they were private from the begining, it is not like they had in house and then they moved on to private, i was told 211 tried to privatise and later didnt go with that plan.. can someone check on that please. I think it is important as community we gather all facts, talk to all other dist BOE if they are being cited as examples what their experiences were etc. Upcoming elections community has responsibility to elect 4 Directors, we need to make sure right people are sent so that major decisions are thought through well in advance, discussed with all pros and cons considered from community impact ( Children, teachers, parents, staff etc )

D B L D - where can we verify what you are saying about the release of personal data?