Photo by Sarah Nichols
Students often ask, “Is Monday a flex day?” The mysterious minimum Mondays are staggered and often unpredictable, but the problem could be solved for next year. District administrators have discussed a proposition to make 30 of next year’s Mondays “minimum.”
The idea is more geared toward benefiting teachers with their lessons and work, which will, in turn, benefit the students.
“Teachers have asked to have more time in their departments to analyze student work and talk about test scores, and because our teachers have so many things outside of school in terms of coaching and clubs and activities, it was impossible for them to find a solid amount of time outside 3 p.m. to have everyone in their department meet,” assistant principal Mr. Mark Williams said.
But these aren’t the Mondays the school has been used to. Instead of the 12:25 departure time, the day would be extended to 1 p.m. In addition to the Monday schedule being stretched, the regular day schedule would also have time added to it, so school would end at 2:40 every day in order to make up for lost instructional minutes overall.
“We have to be required to have a certain amount of instructional minutes every year. If not, it will be a huge issue, and the State of California will drop the hammer on us. So, we have to play within our boundaries of around 65,000 minutes,” Williams said.
This extra time will ultimately help the students with their work, because the teachers can analyze data about student learning and improve instructional strategies to help all students improve. They would be meeting to collaborate and see which lessons work and which don’t, so that teachers can reach more kids across the board.
“Some departments feel like they need the extra days more than others, but in general, everybody agrees that this can do nothing but support what we call a ‘guaranteed curriculum’ for students,” principal Mrs. Debra Hawkins said.
What this means is that each class will have the same level of rigor as the next. For instance, all Algebra II classes will have the same tests, quizzes, homework, etc. In order to do this, there needs to be more “teacher talk time” after school to plan with the other teachers, so they can bounce ideas off each other can come up with the best possible curriculum that will be steady through all classes.
The teachers plan to take advantage of this time and welcome the change.
“I think it’s good. We’re on a very fast-paced schedule here and a lot of teachers don’t have time in the regular school day to meet with the other teachers and collaborate, and by having more flex days, hopefully work together as teachers and provide a better education for students,” Mr. Kesham Zawacki said.
This proposed schedule change will also take place at Rocklin High and will work in conjunction with the lower level schools, so the ride schedules with buses and parents will be resolved, too.
However, the idea is not welcomed by all.
“I don’t want it to be basically the same length as it is now. I want short days,” student Alex Norell said.
According to Williams, the idea is only in its “infancy stages,” and it is unclear as to when and if the proposal will be finalized, so stay posted until further notice.
By ROBERT PARKER
