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Home > Blogs > Springfield Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > March > 12 > Entry
District requests waiver for Wednesdays
City school officials will ask the state to waive minimum school hour requirements so the district can continue its practice of releasing early on Wednesdays to allow for teacher training, development and collaboration opportunities.
Board members voted unanimously to apply for a waiver to the Ohio Department of Education to maintain the early release schedule.
State law requires that students be in school for five hours a day, plus a half hour lunch, for elementary school and five and a half hours, plus a half hour lunch, for middle and high school.
On Wednesdays, the district misses the minimum requirements by four to six minutes, said Interim Superintendent Don Thompson.
If approved, the waiver would give Springfield permission to continue the Wednesday schedule as is, even though it does not meet the minimum requirement.
Like most districts, Springfield’s school year and school day (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) are both longer than the state’s legal minimum.
If the state denies the request, Springfield likely would have to adjust the Wednesday schedule to meet the minimum requirements.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Springfield City Schools
Comments
By Concerned parent
March 13, 2009 12:15 PM | Link to this
I am still trying to figure out why schools dismiss early on Wednesday to allow for teacher training. As a parent with 2 children in city schools I feel that it is poor practice that should be changed. Teacher training should take place AFTER the normal school day ends, not modify the school day to benefit the teachers. Where is the benefit for the children??? If someone could please explain to me why disrupting the children’s school hours on Wednesday to allow for a better schedule for teachers is a good idea, I would be grateful.By King of the Lizard People
March 13, 2009 8:33 PM | Link to this
Concerned parent…why do you think teachers should have to get additional training on their time…ask yourself if you would be happy if your employer made it manditory that you attend weekly training sessions on your personal time and did not provide extra compensation for this time. I firmly believe that continued training is critical in all careers, however as former educator I understand how much of a teachers personal time is already taken by extra activities that can not be accomplished during normal school hours…I can not count the # of hrs I spent grading papers, tests, planning, etc during my supposed personal time…not to mention the time spent supporting the students with thier extra curricular activities such as sporting events, etc. This is simply expected of the position and very rarely recognized by the public, students or parents. I do not question the need for training but I do question the effectiveness and type of training they are recieving…how often is this actually being used for actual training or even for the other purposes this time is allotted for. How effective is this time being used by the district? Is there any controls or accountability to ensure this time is used for what it is suppose to be?