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"I still believe 35 hours (a year) of no instruction is not good for students," said Stahlman.
The board agreed last summer to release students one hour early each Friday and utilize that hour for staff development. The change stemmed from requests from teachers to provide more time during the regular school day for professional development. It will amount to an additional 32 hours of teacher training a year.
The board agreed last year to review the program after its first year. "We decided to review the staff development at the end of the year and see how it worked," said Board member Ron Sohn. "Have we had any input negative or positive?"
Superintendent Dr. VeAnn Tilson told the board that a committee of teachers, staff and administrators reviewed the past school year and are pleased with the new schedule.
"We did review it on our level but didn't bring it to the board," she said. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Hope said teachers are pleased with the schedule and feel it has been beneficial.
"They are in a routine now and think it is getting easier," said Hope. Last year, board members questioned if releasing students earlier would cause childcare issues for parents.
"There were concerns, do most parents accept that now?" he asked.
Tilson said that students can participate in tutoring and enrichment from 2-3 p.m. on the early release day. The tutoring is optional and provides an educational environment for students so there are no additional childcare costs to parents. She said there have not been complaints after that tutoring began.
Board Member Pam Janssen asked if the schedule conflicts with after-school activities.
"When I drive down the street on a Friday at 2:30 p.m. and see the entire seventh-grade basketball team hanging out together it concerns me," she said.
Union Middle School principal said many sports teams practice before school on Fridays and haven't met after school on Fridays for several years prior to the new schedule.
Sohn added that the educational benefits of the schedule are most important. "We are supposed to be trying to improve instruction," he said. I think that trumps anything else."
The district followed a similar model as the Branson School District.
Administrators initially looked into other days of the week to hold professional development sessions, as well as holding sessions on varying days of the week. However they agreed to keep the day sessions consistent. Surveys sent to parents within the district came back with mixed, but mostly positive responses, to the revised bell schedule.
Prior to the sessions administrators prepare agendas to be followed during the sessions which are posted on a teachers' Web site. The discussion during the professional development sessions are reviewed by administrators and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Hope.
