Schools

Rise and Shine! School Could Start Earlier Next Year at MFHS

Menomonee Falls School Board considering a revised schedule to reduce time missed through extracurriculars, and to build more staff development into the year.

Students at may need to brush the sleep out of their eyes a little earlier next year if the School Board approves new start and end times proposed for the 2012-13 school year.

According to a proposal discussed Monday by the board, classes at MFHS would begin at 7:14 a.m., which is just more than 45 minutes earlier than the current schedule. On the other end, classes would end at 2:30 p.m.

High school students would also be released early every Wednesday at 1:40 p.m.

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The new schedule was proposed to help alleviate the number of missed classes due to extracurricular activities at the school, and to build more time into the school year for staff training and development.

The start time at would also change slightly to ease transportation of students as well. Classes at North would actually start 29 minutes later at 7:59 a.m. and end at 3:05 p.m. At the elementary schools, class hours will remain the same from 8:50 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.

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“We believe this is the best recommendation for instructional time in the 2012-13 school year,” said Superintendent Patricia Greco. “We are trying to safeguard the schedule for staff learning without sacrificing staff time, while having it make sense from the instructional side of things.”

According to a memo released by the district, in 2010-11 high school athletes combined missed more than 4,500 classes and 207,400 minutes of instructional time. Most of the absences occurred during seventh- and eighth-hour classes when athletes left early to make it on time to road competitions.

Greco said nearly 60 percent of students at MFHS are involved in some kind of co-curricular or extracurricular activity. Ending the school day about 40 minutes early would lessen the amount of time missed by students involved in these clubs and teams.

MFHS Principal Gary Kiltz said spring sports, especially golf, leave students susceptible to missing class early to get on the field in time. At times, some golfers can miss three class periods during the day to make it to tee times.

The proposed schedule would continue to provide students with the classroom hours, but the district may also seek a waiver from the state that would allow it to provide the same number of minutes in fewer days rather than the required 180. The district would trim three days from the calendar for professional development days.

The current start and stop times at the high school do not meet state professional development requirements. Greco said staff development is key to student performance and success.

“We are the only industry that sets higher goals and expectations, but doesn’t spend any time training adults how to do that,” she said. “The number one determiner of student success in the effectiveness of the adult in the classroom.”

The proposed schedule also elminates three mid-week early dismissal days to better accomodate family schedules.

The teachers union, the Menomonee Falls Education Association, discussed the proposed schedule last week, and the School Board will take a final vote for approval at its next meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Village Hall.

Here is a breakdown of the proposed 2012-13 class schedules:

                                               HIGH SCHOOL Day Bus Arrival Time Class Start Time Class End Time Bus Departure Time Mon., Tues., Thurs., Friday 7:05 a.m. 7:14 a.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:38 p.m. Wednesday 7:05 a.m. 7:14 a.m. 1:40 p.m. 1:48 p.m. District Early Release (3 days in 2012-13) 7:05 a.m. 7:14 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 10:53 a.m.                                          NORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL Mon. through Fri. 7:50 a.m. 7:59 a.m. 3:05 p.m. 3:13 p.m. District Early Release (3 days in 2012-13) 7:50 a.m. 7:59 a.m. 11:20 a.m. 11:28 a.m.                                          ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Mon. through Fri. 8:45 a.m. 8:50 a.m. 3:40 p.m. 3:48 p.m. District Early Release (3 days in 2012-13) 8:45 a.m. 8:50 a.m. 11:55 a.m. 12:03 p.m. Source: Menomonee Falls School District Note: Schedule will be voted on by School Board at 7 p.m. Dec. 12.

 

 


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