Saturday, May 16, 2009

Not Enough Instructional Time

Last night, I received a call from a friend who heard it from our PTA president (who's husband is also on the school board), that our school apparently did not acquire enough instructional time this school year and therefore will have it's school year extended by one week. Having our last day of school be Friday, June 26th, instead of Thursday, June 18th. Official notices are supposed to go home on Monday.

If our school does not comply, the school district will have to pay the State of California over a million dollars.

I find it hard to believe our students have not had enough instructional time this last year. A couple of the times that Hannah was off track this year was one week less than than the times she was off track all the previous years. I'm not sure how much education will take place that extra week. Our kids are ready for the school year to be over, as are our teachers.

It's only a week, but I'm sure glad I didn't have reservations to fly out to Maui that original week we thought we'd be off. LOL.

**EDITED TO ADD ~ I heard this morning that our last day of school won't be until Monday, June the 29th, or possibly even Tuesday, June the 30th.

4 comments:

Letti said...

Darcy I am looking into that. I can't find anything yet but as soon as I do I will see whats going on.

I don't think thats right. Adding an extra 6 days?

Darcy said...

I don't think they can do it legally, can they?

Dr A. has said in the past that anytime there is a schedule change, parents have to be given adequate notice so that they can make the necessary changes if needed.

The school district website hasn't been up and running since last night. And of course I got the call ten minutes after five, when all the school affiliated offices were closed.

The thought did cross my mind that given the fight the residents of GT gave in recent months for the name change of the high school, that perhaps this is the districts way of getting back at them?? If indeed all three of the schools in GT are being affected. It's just a thought that did cross my mind....

Joy Howse said...

That's just crazy. I know that they messed up on the math at our school as well for the upper grades and they had to shorten their recess and lunch by 5 mins each to get in the extra 15 mins a day and make up for some of that lost time. They had also talked about doing away with all minimum days for just the upper kids and have them go full day for an extra 2 hours on those days. But, that would be a logistical nightmare for families that have an upper and lower grade student. Scary to think about who is incharge of doing the math in the first place that they could be off by that much. Hopefully they will get yours figured out soon. June 26th just seems SO late. Our kiddos are out by June 11th.

Darcy said...

When I got the call last night, I asked about adding an extra hour or hour and a half to their school days, rather than adding on an extra week. But the State supposedly told the district "No".

Rachel in preschool gets out on the 11th. My niece gets out on the 12th in the County next door. :)

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