Transcript 4 day school week public meeting - Round Lake

4 day school week
public meeting
March 30th 2009
Brewster gymnasium
7:00PM
Agenda
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Overview of Districts’ current situation
Options to consider
Four day week research
Financial Savings with the 4 day week option
Pros and cons
Proposed 4 day week calendar
Proposed 4 day week HS schedule
Proposed 4 day week Elem. Schedule
Athletics
Teacher days 5 days vs. 4 days
Feedback from districts currently on a 4 day week schedule
Mr. Greg Schmidt Superintendent of MACCRAY
Public input
Overview of RLB’s current situation
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Current fund balances:
Brewster: $412,511
RL: $420,626
Enrollment projection:
We will lose 29
students from 2007-08
through the 2013-14
school years. We
receive $6,000/student
funding from state and
local revenues.
200708
200809
200910
201011
201112
201213
201314
Brewst
.
172
164
158
151
147
147
139
RL
113
99
103
107
119
115
117
RLB
285
263
261
258
266
262
256
300
250
200
150
Brewster
RL
RLB
100
50
0
20 20 20 20 20 20 20
07- 08- 09- 10- 11- 12- 1308 09 10 11 12 13 14
Overview of RLB’s current situation
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2007-08 financial report (audited) for Brewster and Round Lake:
RLB:
Revenues: $3,217,384
Expenditures: $2,934,118
2008-09 projected
RLB:
Revenues: $3,085,384 (loss of 22 students)
Expenditures: $3,051,483
+$33,901
Stimulus money:+$61,118
2009-10 projected
RLB:
Revenues: $3,073,384 (loss of 2 students)
Expenditures: $3,143,028 (3% proj. increase)
-$69,644
Stimulus money:+$59,002
2010-11 projected
RLB: Revenues: $ 3,055,384 (loss of 3 students)
Expenditures: $ 3,237,319 (3% proj. increase)
-$181,935
2011-12 projected
RLB: Revenues: $ 3,103,384 (gain of 8 students)
Expenditures: $ 3,334,439 (3% proj. increase)
-$231,055
Overview of RLB’s current situation
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2012-13 Projected
RLB: Revenues: $ 3,079,384 (loss of four students)
Expenditures: $ 3,434,472 (3% proj. increase)
-$355,088
2013-14 Projected
RLB: Revenues: $ 3,043,384 (loss of six students)
Expenditures: $ 3,537,506 (3% proj. increase)
Current undesignated fund balance: $833,137
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-$494,122
-$1,177,823
Projected undesignated fund balance if we do nothing:-$344,686
Options to Consider
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Reduce band to 1 FTE: savings of $18,000
Combine remaining athletics and fine arts programs with SSC:
savings of $20,000
Consolidation between Round Lake and Brewster with a two building
option: savings of $24,000
Consolidation between Round Lake, Brewster and SSC with a four
building option: savings TBD
Transition to a four day week schedule: savings of $31,892.76
Hard pay freeze to all district employees (union has to agree)
savings of $41,000
Ask the union of Brewster/Round Lake to give the 2% staff
development set aside back to the districts: savings of $33,000
Four day week research
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Board members and Superintendent attended the MACCRAY 4 day
week presentation January 2009
School Board formed a four day exploratory committee at the
January board meeting
Committee met and did a literature review
Committee met with SSC’s 4 day committee
Site visit to MACCRAY Public School
Public Hearings: March 30th Brewster, April 6th RL, April 13th
Brewster
School board decision: April 20th
If Decision is yes: File paperwork with MDE
MDE renders decision by June of 2009
Implement 4 day week by Fall of 2009
If decision is no: continue with current 5 day schedule, continue to
explore other reduction options
What did the research tell us
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Currently 16 states have schools that are using the 4
day week schedule. Examples: MACCRAY School
District Minnesota, Custer School District and Wall
School District South Dakota
Student dropout rate declines
Student and teacher attendance improves
More positive attitude
Student achievement is not affected by the change
The off days allow students to schedule appointments,
allow for more family time, and offer more part time
job opportunities
Financial savings with the 4 day
option
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Bussing: $18,495.00
Utilities: $8,656.76
Subst. costs: $4,741.00
Total savings: $31,892.76
These are the projected savings without
making any cuts to non-licensed
instructional staff that we do not intend to
do at this time.
Pros and Cons
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Positives
Financial savings (up to $40,000/year) Utilities, bussing, sub pay.
Savings could be even greater and increase yearly (fuel costs)
Economic problems seem to be worsening.
Equal or greater amount of student/teacher contact time. No loss of
academic hours or student achievement.
Possible increased enrollment due to open enrollment additions.
Time for teacher inservices, trainings, meetings, and parent/teacher
conferences.
More efficient use of secretarial and custodial staff (get more
accomplished on off days).
Improved attendance for both students and staff.
Improved attitudes and morale.
Lower drop-out rate and discipline referrals.
More time for student and staff personal business.
Easier for students to have part time employment.
Pros and Cons
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Easier to make up snow days on off days instead of at the end of
year.
Extra day to help on the farm.
School is being proactive not reactive.
Bus depreciation and use is less.
Nonschool clubs/organizations can meet.
Can possibly use paras on off days to tutor (keep their hours up)
Eliminates half days and families having to pick up students in
middle of day. Half days also tend to decrease student performance.
May increase breakfast eating at school and also increase
free/reduced meal applications thus increasing revenue.
Includes some longer 4-5 weekends and may eliminate students
missing for family vacations.
Feedback from MACCRAY site visit: parents enjoy having Monday
off. It makes Sunday more relaxing and available for more family
time.
Poses the method for fewest cuts in classes offered and in teacher
positions.
Pros and Cons
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Negatives
Longer day may create attention problems esp.
for younger students.
Later times on bus for students.
Day care concerns for parents on the day off.
Sports— missing more class in spring for
afternoon games.
Less time for bus drivers.
May pose problems for students participating in
sports with other schools (hockey, wrestling).
Proposed four day week calendar
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Mondays are the off days (many holidays fall on
Monday: Labor Day, MLK Day, President’s Day,
Easter Monday, Memorial Day) We also created
longer weekends by taking Friday off vs. Monday
before these holidays
No more half days (except last day in December
and last school day)
148 day student contact
157 days of teacher contract
See handout
High school schedule comparison
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2008-09 5 day week
Period 1: 8:00-8:50
Period 2: 8:53-9:43
Period 3: 9:46-10:36
Period 4: 10:39-11:29
Lunch: 11:29-12:17
Period 5: 12:17-1:07
Period 6: 1:10-2:00
Period 7: 2:03-2:53
2009-10 4 day week
Period 1: 7:55-8:57
Period 2: 9:00-10:02
Period 3: 10:05-11:07
Period 4: 11:10-12:12
Lunch: 12:12-12:55
Period 5: 12:55-1:57
Period 6: 2:00-3:02
Period 7: 3:05-4:07
2008-09 5 day week
413 min/day x 176 days:
72,688 min.
Actual instruction:350minx176 days= 61600min
2009-2010 4 day week
492 min/day x 148 days:
72,816 min.
Actual instruction:434min x 148
days=64,232minutes
Time difference of 128 minutes more for the 4 day week schedule per year.
Time difference of 2,632 minutes more instructional time for the 4 day week
schedule per year. Also an additional 624 minutes instructional time due to
elimination of 4 half days.
Elementary schedule
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School starts at 7:55AM ends at 4:07PM
No change for morning pick up times
Breakfast will start at 9:00AM
Instructional time for core subjects will increase
(see handout of proposed schedule)
Core subjects will be scheduled in the morning
Use the Boost Up, PE and Music time to break
up the day
Tutoring is available on the off days (Mondays)
for 3 hours (transportation is not provided) at
both buildings for K-12 students!!
Athletics
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4-day school week Extracurricular schedule proposal:
Fall practice
Round Lake
6:15
Brewster
6:30
Winter practice (early)
Brewster
6:00
Round Lake
6:15
Winter practice (late)
Round Lake until
7:00
Spring practice
Heron Lake
6:15
Brewster
6:30
Wednesday practices are completed as in the past, 6:00. Some practices,
most likely during the winter, the varsity/b teams may practice in the
morning due to the short amount of time after school on Wednesdays.
No junior high practice or games on non school days. (Mondays)
Events and activities will occur on Monday evenings as usual.
Rotate afternoon classes to avoid missing the same class when athletes
need to leave early
Teacher work hours
5 days vs. 4 days
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Teacher work load:
2008-09
176 student contact days, 4 days of in-service, 2 days of parent
teacher conferences. Total working minutes for 182 days:
7:30AM-3:23PM=7 hours and 53 minutes x 176 days= 83,248
minutes + 1,920 minutes in-service + 840 minutes of parent
teacher conferences = 86,008 total contract minutes for 182
days
2009-10 proposal
148 student contact days, 4 days of in-service, 2 days of Staff
Development, 2 days of parent teacher conferences 1 day during
the summer. Total working minutes for 157 days.
7:25AM-4:37PM= 9 hours and 12 minutes x 148 days=81,696
minutes + 2,208 minutes of in-service + 840 minutes of parent
teacher conferences + 1104 Staff Development days + 480 min
summer = 86, 328 minutes total contract time for 157 days.
Testimonials
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“I am a kindergarten teacher in Deuel. I have 5 children
of my own that go to school here. They have adjusted
just fine. One of my children has ADHD tendencies and
I was really worried that he would struggle with the 3
days off. He has done surprisingly well. My oldest
daughter is a sophomore and has threatened to leave if
our school would ever switch back to a 5 day week. I
was very skeptical when our superintendent proposed
this 4 day week, but I have to say it has worked just
fine.
Hope this helps,”
Lynn Stoltenburg, Deuel, SD
Testimonials
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“I am a first grade teacher who has been here for 28 years. I would
be happy to give you my perspective of our four day week. My First
graders do well with the four day week. At the beginning of the
year, we have some transition time, but you will have that even with
a five day week. We teach reading, math, spelling, phonics,
handwriting, creative writing, social and science. There was a
concern about carryover with a three day weekend and then
starting all over when the students came back on Monday. We really
have not seen this to be a problem. I can honestly say that I am
glad that we have made the switch!!! I would have a hard time
going back to the five day week. I have found that we get more
done, we cover more material, we plan better, we discuss more with
coworkers, we take time to share more, we work on technology
more, we spend time researching more, etc. It has been a win-win
situation. I know that the parents like it and the kids--especially the
upper level.” Margit Fritz, Deuel SD
Testimonials
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“When I came on board at Deuel, my teaching
partners told me that they covered more reading
curriculum in the 4 day week than they ever had
in the past. I have become a big believer in the
4 day. It takes a little while to get past some of
the mind sets that we have carried with us for
MANY years. It is a change and change never
comes easy but it has been a great thing.”
Heidi Steffensen, 1st Grade Teacher
Feed back from Mr. Greg Schmidt
MACCRAY Superintendent on the
4 day week implementation
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Please welcome Mr. Schmidt
Public Input
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If you have questions or comments please
come to the front and use one of the two
microphones. Please limit your comments
to the topic discussed. No personal attacks
will be tolerated at anytime!! Please limit
your comments to 2-5 minutes.