District 15 Residents - A Call to Action from Citizens for Accountability
Dear District 15 Residents,
We want to make you aware of an important issue going on right now that affects the over 12,000 children who attend District 15 schools.
The 40 minutes of professional development time that was negotiated as part of the new teachers' contract is currently planned as a late start one day a week. This can change, per the wording in the contract, if and only if, the community gets involved and there is an OVERWHELMING response.
We are strongly advocating for an early release rather than a late start.
We believe a Friday early release would result in the LEAST AMOUNT OF LOST INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.
In the long run, everyone is impacted by students having less instructional time.
Also, for working parents, after school care is already in place and would only need to be moved up. A late start would create a new, and potentially costly, childcare issue.
A Friday early release would have the least impact on most children and families in our community.
The following actions are requested:
- Sign the Change.org Petition (only takes 2 minutes): Parent Petition
- Attend the ONLY community forum before the decision is made:
THIS SATURDAY: January 26, 2013
9 am
Sundling Junior High on Smith St.
Please spread the word in the community. Thank you very much. Hope to see you on Saturday.
Sincerely,
Citizens for Accountability in D15
Vicki Wilson
11:26 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
This affects all District 15 schools and possibly the private schools also.
Bucephalus
6:02 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
How would this affect the private schools?
Vicki Wilson
6:56 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
It remains to be seen how this will affect the schedules at the private schools, but all schools within D15 boundaries use the same buses....
Vicki Wilson
8:55 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
A late start also disrupts the morning routine for young children and routine is crucial for them.
k
9:35 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
For similar reasons, I see Monday morning late start as the least disruptive. The children will have an intact week from Monday morning through end of day Friday. I work full-time, but my employer would prefer me to start late on Monday than leave early Friday if I cannot find care coverage. Our Friday's are jammed. That is why I didn't sign the petition. There are bigger issues happening than this schedule change, the largest one being these types of things shouldn't be a "done deal" without parental/taxpayer input. If teachers really do object, as has been stated, they need to show up and voice their concerns. The problem here, and with all the issues, is communication.
Vicki Wilson
9:39 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
My personal preference for a late start or an early release is different than what I know is best for the kids. I won't share with you what my own preference is because this isn't about me.
The bottom line is that a school district's mission and purpose is to deliver education.
There is only one choice if you want to minimize the amount of lost effective instruction time for the children of our community.
There is only one choice when you put kids at the top of the list.
It's a Friday early release. Friday afternoons are the least productive time of the week for the kids to learn and often this time is filled with non-instructional activities anyway.
Routine is crucial for young children, especially morning routines.
My concern is the kids are going to lose 40 minutes of instruction. On paper, they will be getting it back in four 10 minute increments, but in reality, those 10 minutes are going to be frittered away.
We are already at the state-mandated minimum of instruction time. If any part of any day is taken away, it should be the one that is currently least productive.
Let's remember for whom the schools exist. :)
k
9:47 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
To clarify, my preference is in relation to my children. You do not speak for everyone. In the end, it doesn't matter anyway because the District will do whatever it deems the most cost effective. It's all about the money, not the children.
D B L D
11:36 am on Sunday, January 27, 2013
Vicki
There is another choice. DON'T CHANGE the school instructional time. Let the teachers start 10 minutes later everyday. Combine that 10 minutes and in the school year the teachers have 30 hours of accumulated time to plan and organize. Let them chose a Saturday morning or an evening or even add more institute days were they can accomplish so much more together. LEAVE THE KIDS SCHEDULE INTACT