NORTH ADAMS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
EXTENDED LEARNING TIME (ELT) INITIATIVE
PARENTS AND STUDENTS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Why extend learning time in the North Adams Public Schools?
The school administration, the teachers, and the school committee together have developed a balanced initiative that will reduce stress on students and teachers, increase students’ excitement about learning, and yet leave adequate time for children to be with their families and in the larger community. We believe this will create a structure that will help all children succeed and mature into productive adults, regardless of the individual challenges they or their families may face.
The No Child Left Behind act requires all children to be proficient in reading, writing, math, science and social studies by 2014. At the direction of the Massachusetts Department of Education, our efforts toward this goal so far have focused on reading and math achievement and have required new and highly labor intensive systems of assessments and instruction, and longer instructional periods in these subject areas. While we have made good progress, these gains have come at the expense of adequate learning opportunities in science, social studies, the arts, physical education, social development and play – all of which impacts the growth of well-rounded students.
The faculty has felt the pressure of inadequate time to review student assessment data and prepare creative instructional plans to insure every student’s growth. To continue to progress toward our achievement goals for our students, as well as our districts commitment to nurturing productive citizens, both students and teacher need more time for learning.
2. Does extended learning time really improve student performance?
A review of ELT schools with demographics similar to the schools in North Adams shows that MCAS and other achievement test scores are significantly higher.
(See http://www.mass2020.org/full_report.pdf for the full report)
3. How is the Extended Learning Time Initiative more than just extending the hours of the school day?
With this initiative, we can offer: • Longer class periods for ALL core academic subjects• Expanded enrichment and exploratory arts activities and community partnerships• More time to implement hands-on applied learning, more teamwork, more technology• More time to provide help to struggling students and to accelerate students who need more challenge• Increased professional development and planning time for the teachers.
4. What does this initiative mean for the length of the school day and the school year?
The elementary schools new hours would be 8:00 a.m. to 3:34 p.m. – an additional one hour and fifteen minutes. The new hours at Conte Middle School would be 7:20 a.m. to 3:11 p.m. – an additional one hour and twenty minutes. Four additional days would be added to the school year.
5. When would this initiative begin?
The Extended Learning Time would begin with the 2008-09 school year.
Half –days would be nearly eliminated. The only early dismissal days would be in November for parent/teacher conferences and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.6. What happens to the half-days during the year?
7. Will all children participate in the longer school day?
Yes. All elementary and middle school students, with the exceptions of those with disabilities whose Individual Educational Plans require a shorter school day, will participate.
8. What about the high school?
We would request funds to extend the school day at the three elementary schools and the middle school. The high school is not included in the Extended Learning Time initiative at this time.
9. Will kindergarteners be required to attend the longer day?
Yes. The state’s requirements for what kindergarteners should be able to know and do before entering first grade are increasing, and many of our kindergarteners enter school with significant developmental delays. Evidence shows that kindergarteners do well with the extended school day, with additional break times and additional snack times.
10. What will my child be doing in the additional hours?
At the elementary schools,
a. Academic remediation for those who need it
b. Programs for accelerated learning for students who need more challenge
c. Longer and more varied opportunities in visual and performing arts, physical
education, health and wellness
d. Daily enrichment/supplemental studies
e. A scheduled daily recess
f. Title 1 supported students will no longer miss academic class lessons
g. More hands-on learning experiences
h. More focus on science, social studies and computer technology
i. Community partners working with the students during the school day
At the middle school,
a. Over 40 enrichment programs offered daily!
b. Increased time in every class
c. Increased incorporation of technology
d. Writing and math across the curriculum
e. More time for exploratory arts
f. Physical education for all students
g. Daily remediation for struggling students
h. Accelerated programs for students who need more challenge in their studies
11. How will other parts of the school day change?
Instruction in most subject areas will take on a whole new look. We will develop new curriculum that focuses on hands-on, inquiry-based learning. There will be an increased emphasis on interdisciplinary learning – how do we use skills in reading, math, science social students and technology to understand and solve problems? Faculty in the arts and physical education will be working more closely with regular classroom teachers to integrate visual and kinetic forms or learning into the core academic curriculum.
Our goal is to provide a more reasonably paced and engaging day for children, allowing sufficient time for them to explore and apply their newly acquired skills. This will significantly improve mastery and retention of skills and will reduce the need to re-teach prior year skills in the fall.
Students also need more to opportunities to work cooperatively with peers. This will enhance the development of employability and social skills such as organization, time management, teamwork, initiative, conflict resolution, etc.
12. Will there still be an after school program?
Yes. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers will continue to operate to 5:30 p.m. at the elementary schools. After school programs at Conte Middle School will also continue.
13. Will my child continue to have homework?
As part of our planning for extended school days, the North Adams Public Schools is reviewing its homework policy. We anticipate significant modification to our current homework practices. While we will continue to require some homework, the volume and nature of the assignments will most likely be significantly changed from current practice.
14. How will the program be funded?
Funding for this program is entirely from state grant support approved by the state legislature each year. The funding level is set at $1300 per student in the participating ELT schools.
15. How long will the initiative last?
We are committed to provide an excellent education to all the children in North Adams. Our research identifies extended learning time for teachers and students as a necessary ingredient to our future progress. National trends suggest that extended learning time will become the norm in public education over the coming decade. Our plan is to have extended school days for as long as state funds continue to support it. The support for the Extended Learning Time Initiative is growing throughout the state. Eighteen schools across the state have an expanded school day for the 2007-2008 school year, and over eighty-five schools in thirty-four districts are considering expanded learning time in the future.
Child care and youth serving agencies in the region are being invited to develop partnerships with the North Adams Public Schools so that we as a community can best meet the child care needs of working families, and provide the widest possible range of enrichment activities to all of our young people. There will continue to be school-based and community-based services and opportunities. Our goal is for this initiative to serve as a catalyst to improve coordination and collaboration among providers to better meet community needs. In addition, the school day would be ending at 3:34 p.m. at the elementary schools and 3:11 p.m. at the middle school, avoiding an overlap of many of the youth serving agencies’ late afternoon schedules.16. How will this initiative affect other child care and youth activity providers in the community?
17. How will the final decisions be made on the Extended Learning Time Initiative?
Ratification of a collective bargaining agreement between the North Adams Teachers Association and the North Adams School Committee is pending. Submission of the plan to the Mass Department of Education, including parent/community input, is due on April 25.
The Department of Education will make the final decision as to whether the North Adams Public Schools will receive funding for the initiative.
18. What if the plan doesn’t work as we expected next fall?
We will continuously monitor how the plan is working and make necessary adjustments to the program design. The collective bargaining agreement between the North Adams Teacher Association and the North Adams School Committee is for a one-year pilot program. The Teachers Association can choose to renegotiate or discontinue the initiative prior to the second year of its implementation. And its continuation is dependent on necessary state grant funding. However, all parties are committed to having this initiative succeed and the goal is to have this be a permanent implementation.
19. What if I have more questions?
Please attend a parent forum this week (see the enclosed details). You are also welcome and encouraged to contact the school administration, your child’s teacher(s) or members of the school committee at any time.
