Transcript MACCRAY School District

“4-Day School Week –
“We’re really not crazy”
MSBA Leadership
Conference
January 15-16, 2009
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MACCRAY District
Information
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Conference
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Location of MACCRAY
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Conference
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Populations
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Sites
MACCRAY West Elementary
MACCRAY East Elementary
MACCRAY Jr./Sr. High School
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Conference
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Seasonal Comparison
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Staffing
• 105 total staff – bus drivers are not
MACCRAY’s employees
• Slightly more than half of MACCRAY’s
certified staff members are 50 years of
age or more and have served the district
for 20 or more years
• Several other staff members are over 50,
but haven’t served in the district for 20+
years
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Conference
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Budget
• Total budget (all funds) is slightly
more than $8,000,000
• General fund reduced by $800,000
from 2006-07 to 2007-08 = 11%
• General fund reduced by another
$300,000 from 2007-08 to 2008-09
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Conference
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Budget Reduction
Planning Process
• Step 1 - Explored options
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Reduce certified staff by 4.0 FTEs
Close an elementary building
Transition to 4-day school week
Offer an early retirement/leave of absence incentive for our
most experienced teachers
– Offer taxpayers the opportunity to further support education
(operating levy)
• Step 2 – Researched 4-Day Week districts
- Early February-March
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Conference
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4-Day Week Research
Suggested Other Benefits
• More environmentally friendly
• Increase enrollment
• Improve attendance of students and staff
• Improve student morale
• Decrease discipline referrals
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Effects on the School Day
• Allow students more elective courses
• Improved attendance for students and staff
• Anticipate a decrease in discipline referrals
• Student achievement stable
• More instructional time
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Effects on Students
• Students reported having a better attitude toward school.
• Academic achievement and standardized test scores
reported to be the same or higher.
• Improved student attendance.
• Longer class periods allow for more material to be
covered.
• Greater likelihood of student appointments being
scheduled for days off.
• More family time available.
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Students (continued…)
Mondays could be used to:
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Complete homework
Work on projects
Work at a part-time job
Complete 20 hour/year service learning
requirement
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Conference
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Effects on Teachers
• Fewer absences – teachers can schedule
appointments on days off
• Less need for substitute teachers
• Longer class periods offer more time to
focus on specific projects, especially those
of a hands-on nature
• Increased staff development time
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Conference
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States with 4-day districts
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Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
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Minnesota
Montana
New Mexico
Oregon
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Wyoming
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Budget Reduction
Process (continued…)
• Step 3 – Contacted MDE for guidance
– Early March
• Step 4 – Held Community Meetings
– Late March to early April
• Step 5 – Waiting period to hear from community
and transportation providers
– Early April to mid-May
• Step 6 – Board approval
– May 12, 2008
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Reasons for the Change
• Reduce expenses
• Maintain elective offerings
• Minimize staff reductions
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Conference
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Estimated Savings
• Substitute Teacher Costs
$9,023
• Transportation Costs
$65,201
• Energy Savings
• Maintenance Costs
• Faculty Mileage Reimbursement
$16,374
$3,611
$994
Total
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Conference
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$95,203
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Budget Reduction
Process (continued…)
• Step 7 – Approval from MDE
– Request for “flexible school year” submitted on May 20, 2008
– Additional information was submitted on June 5, 2008
– 3-year approval communicated on July 1, 2008
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Snapshot of the 4Day Week
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4-Day Schedule
• Monday is the “off day”.
• Staff in-service days were moved from Fridays to
Mondays.
• School IS scheduled on nine (9) Mondays.
• Four (4) five-day weeks throughout the year.
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Conference
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Student Day
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1st bell
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
1st Lunch
Period 5A
Period 5B
2nd Lunch
Period 6
Period 7
Period 8
2007-08
8:12 a.m.
8:15 – 9:02
9:05 – 9:52
9:55 – 10:42
10:45 – 11:32
11:32 – 11:57
11:35 – 12:22
11:57 – 12:44
12:22 – 12:47
12:47 – 1:34
1:37 – 2:24
2:27 – 3:14
47 minute class periods
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2008-09
1st Bell
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
1st Lunch
Period 5A
Period 5B
2nd Lunch
Period 6
Period 7
Period 8
7:57 a.m.
8:00 – 8:55
8:58 – 9:53
9:56 – 10:51
10:54 – 11:49
11:49 – 12:14
11:52 – 12:47
12:14 – 1:09
12:47 – 1:12
1:12 – 2:07
2:10 – 3:05
3:09 - 4:04
55 minute class periods
Additional 65 minutes per day
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Conference
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Instructional Time
2007-08
419 min/day x 172 days: 72,068 minutes
Excluding lunch (25 min.) & passing time (18 min.)
376 min/day x 172 days = 64,672 minutes
2008-09**
484 min/day x 149 days: 72,116 minutes
Excluding lunch (25 min.) & passing time (18 min.)
441 min/day x 149 days = 65,709 minutes
Actual Gain in Instructional Time:
1,037minutes (17.28 hours) annually
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Conference
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Teacher Day
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2007-08
7:45 a.m.–3:44 p.m.
172 student days
7 in-service days
2 conference days
181 contract days
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2008-09
7:30 a.m. – 4:34 p.m.
149 student days
8.5 in-service days
2 conference days
159.4 contract days
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Extracurricular
Activities
• Practices will end later (6:15), except on Wednesdays Community Night (5:45).
• Events and activities will occur on Monday evenings as
usual. Will reschedule events when possible.
• Thermostats will not be turned up for Monday
practices, games, activities
• No junior high practices on days off
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Conference
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Our Communities
• With the extended school day, many students’
schedules better align with parents’ work schedules
• Child care – Families needed to make adjustments to
meet change in schedule
– Some daycare providers charge a “flat” fee
– MACCRAY Community education (in partnership with 4-H)
trained students as babysitters
– Fun Day Mondays @ Willmar YMCA
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Conference
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Evaluation
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Conference
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What We’ve Learned….
So Far
• Long days for students that ride the bus
– A few students are picked up as early as 6:40 a.m.
compared to 6:50 a.m. last year
– Elementary-age students get home as late as 5:10 p.m.
– Some high school students don’t get home from practice
until between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m.
• Extra-curricular practice times
– Coaches in many cases have been more efficient – less
“down time” during practice
– Practices go later into the evening than in the past
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Conference
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What We’ve Learned
(continued…)
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Practices are shorter on Wednesday afternoons (4:15-5:45)
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Evenings are noticeably shorter for students and staff
members
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Students seem to enjoy having Monday off
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Staff members seem to enjoy having Mondays off
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Surprised and amazed at the level of media attention that
MACCRAY has received
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Conference
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Statewide/National
International
Media Attention
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Fox News - “America’s Newsroom” – New York
MN 20/20 – St. Paul, MN
Associated Press – Raleigh, North Carolina
Associated Press – Washington, DC
ABC - “Good Morning America” (WCCO studios)
Kyodo News – New York City
Kansas City Star – Kansas City, MO
Albuquerque, NM Public Schools
City of Las Vegas, NV
Star Tribune – Minneapolis, MN
Paul Harvey
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Conference
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Media Attention
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Voice of America – Washington, DC
Education Week – Richmond, VA
NSBA Newsletter – Alexandria, VA
AASA Newsletter – Alexandria, VA
KRQE Radio – Albuquerque, NM
The Telegram – Jackson, OH
MSBA – St. Peter, MN
Reuters Newswire – New York City
WIZM – La Crosse, WI
CNN – New York City (sent crew to district)
Forbes Magazine
LRP Publications – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
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Conference
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Media Attention
(continued…)
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ABC Evening News with Charles Gibson (sent crew to district)
CBS News with Katie Couric
Flat Rock-Hawcreek Schools – Hope, IN
Education Minnesota
Duluth News Tribune – Duluth, MN
BBC – London, UK
West Central Tribune – Willmar, MN
KSAX Television – Alexandria, MN
WCCO Radio – Jack Rice Show
WCCO Radio – Bruce Hagevik
e-School News
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Conference
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Media Attention
(continued…)
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Education Week – Bethesda, MD
New York Times
Newsweek – Boston, MA
Minnesota Public Radio
National Public Radio – Boston, MA
Time Magazine
KARE 11 – (sent crew to district)
Minnesota News Network
Numerous Minnesota school districts
Other Minnesota media outlets
Many sales reps promising to boost fuel efficiency
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Conference
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Evaluation
• MACCRAY evaluation plan:
– Parents, students, staff surveys
– Community members surveys
– Outside evaluations
– Assess test scores, failure rates, behavior data, and
absentee rates for students and staff
– Compare 2008-09 expenses with 2007-08 expenses
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Conference
January 15-16, 2009
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Estimated Savings
• Substitute Teacher Costs
$9,023
• Transportation Costs
$65,201
• Energy Savings
• Maintenance Costs
• Faculty Mileage Reimbursement
$16,374
$3,611
$994
Total
MSBA Leadership
Conference
January 15-16, 2009
$95,203
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Number of teachers
Teacher Absences
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
September
October
2007
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Conference
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2008
Years
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Number of students
Student Absences
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
September
October
2007
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Conference
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2008
Years
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Transportation Savings
172 Days
Rural routes
149 Days
$394,595.52
$361,542.28
Shuttle buses
$60,728.04
$45,309.41
Town route
$18,674.04
$17,798.56
Special
Education
Total
$89,120.08
$73,266.28
$563,117.68
$497,916.53
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Conference
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Electricity Usage
XCEL Energy Usage Comparison (kWh)
September-December
School
2007-08
2008-09
Difference
West
68,718
65,594
- 3,124
East
62,218
56,986
- 5,232
Junior High
17,923
19,572
+ 1,649 ??
High School
149,867
144,702
- 5,165
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Conference
January 15-16, 2009
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Water/Sewage Usage
Water/Sewer Usage Comparison (Gallons)
September-December
School
2007-08
2008-09
Difference
West
151,919
174,342
+ 22,423 *
East
126,510
125,499
- 1,011
Junior High
25,100
20,100
- 5,000
High School
486,300
449,900
- 36,400
*Football field watering-summer 2008 was dry.
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Conference
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MACCRAY 7-12
students report…
• having a better attitude toward school – the
weeks go so fast!
• longer class periods allow for more student
work to be completed.
• improved student attendance.
• more time for the family.
• Monday is a day to “de-stress”
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Conference
January 15-16, 2009
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MACCRAY elementary
student comments…
• Homework needs to be completed before Monday
since parents work Mondays.
• Not enough recess time.
• I am hungrier during the day
• I like having two snack times
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Conference
January 15-16, 2009
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MACCRAY parents report…
• Nights are very short for elementary aged
students
• I’ve been surprised how easy the transition
has been (elementary parent)
• I’m enjoying the extra day for appointments
and family time (high school parent)
• Disadvantage for those that have to leave
early for sports (high school parent)
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Conference
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Teachers report…
K-6 staff
• Day goes just as fast as before
• We’re on track with language arts
• Honestly surprised how well it is going
7-12 staff
• Love the longer class periods for labs
• I am a little ahead of where I was last year
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Conference
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Adjustments Made
for Elementary
Students
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SMART program
• Later breakfast
• Later lunch times
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Conference
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For more information:
Four day week
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Conference
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QUESTIONS?
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Conference
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“The four day school week has probably
been one of those few decisions made in
education in the name of money that
actually ended up having educational
benefits in terms of academic
performance of kids.”
Joyce Ley, director of Rural Education Program at
the Northwest Regional Laboratory in Portland, OR
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Conference
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Contact Information
Gregory A. (Greg) Schmidt
Superintendent
MACCRAY Public Schools
711 Wolverine Drive
P.O. Box 690
Clara City, MN 56222
320-847-2154 (phone)
[email protected]
Website address: www.maccray.k12.mn.us
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Conference
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