School Beat: Four Period Day Study Results Presented

(Ed.note: Audio of this section of the meeting will be posted later. Also some video spots. Stay tuned to The Evansville Observer. We attend the meetings.)


The recommendations--


1.) Different development plan to help new teachers that need help fully utilizing the block--with content differentiated between the senior teachers and the new. Teachers are looking for this.

2) Enrich staff development by cross collaboration etc. Each dept has strong teachers and their strengths need to be shared with other departments.

3) Use a professional planning calendar. Also use the planning time as professional development.

4) Consider a regular curriculum review schedule or cycle to force review of curriculum content. This was in place in the past but discontinued.

5) Re the AP scheduling problem---no solution to this.

Consultant felt that there was a strong feeling by staff and students that they want the four period day.

In comments, Mrs. Hammann noted that the sample of parents was minimul and not a representative sample to make any conclusions on the survey. She also indicated that in cases of illness, where a student misses a week due to illness, how does one recover. Agan, no solution was offered. The Consultant suggested asking the staff on ways to solve it.

Supr Carvin indicated that it was rare that a student missed a week. However, two of the board memebers had children that had experienced the result of an illness. One of the results of this, according to Mrs. Hammann is that kids come to school sick rather than deal with it. Supr. Carvin suggested that some additional on line resources could be helpful.

Mr. Pieric asked for a way to resolve the scheduling problems according to consultant experience. Consultant indicated that the students should not have study halls under this system. The block must be maximized and an empty block is bad. There is already study time built in to the block.

Mr. Hatfield indicated that the "set of data" on the study was just one set, with not any review of the results before or other alternatives presented to the people sampled. Hence--it was really not a study at all, but just a study in feelings for the moment. The board was looking for some solutions.

The board seemed unsatisfied with the results of this study, in that they had grappled with problems with the block and were looking for some help from a person experienced with it. Instead, the consultant just suggested that they talk to the staff about it---which is what they could have done without the consultant.

Later in the school board meeting, when it came time to choose a consultant, or facilitator to work through the Board Goals for the 2007-8 school year, the board specifically asked for someone NOT CESA affiliated. They preferred a neutral facilitator who would not be encumbered with jargon.