Approved Calendar Changes 20-21
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Dear Parents, Grandparents, and Guardians,
We’ve been working diligently to provide answers to parent/guardians regarding any concerns for the 90-minute early release Wednesdays, which will begin in the 2020-2021 school year. I’m happy to report that through thoughtful consideration and conversations, our building administrators have worked together to come up with great options.
Our school district will be able to accommodate approximately 80 or more students at each elementary (pre-k -6th grade) who will receive extended learning opportunities and activities. These opportunities will come in the form of learning labs, the use of online platforms, STEM activities, and after school snacks. We have 55 assistant teachers and paraprofessionals who will be spread between the elementary schools to provide supervision and implementation of these opportunities.
The YMCA has provided for special one day rates on early release Wednesdays if you choose to send your student(s) there. Please note, any student participating in any of the other daily after school programs through the churches or the YMCA will not be included in the district’s extended learning opportunity.
Students at the Junior High and Senior High who need to stay after on Wednesdays for clubs or athletics will be provided spaces such as gymnasiums, libraries, and computer labs. These spaces will be monitored by a combination of staff and secured volunteers.
Students will be chosen for extended learning through an application process. We will be releasing the application to all parents on April 1st, 2020 for next school year. All applications must be returned to the school either by paper or online no later than April 30, 2020. Applications turned in after this date will be subject to availability. New Pre-K, Kindergarten, and transfer students will be able to apply at a later date.
It is our hope that this will provide some much needed comfort to any parent/guardian in regards to the 90-minute early release Wednesdays. If there are still concerns, please contact me at 573-472-2581 or you may email me at trobinson@spsr6.org.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tony Robinson
Superintendent of Sikeston R-6 Schools
#WeAreSikeston
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Dear Parents, Grandparents, and Guardians,
On Tuesday, February 11, 2020 the Sikeston Board of Education approved calendars for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. On the new calendar we will be implementing weekly 90 minute early releases on Wednesdays for teacher collaboration, data analysis, focused instructional planning, and specialized teacher professional development. I do understand that this planned change has caused some concerns, fear, and apprehension. I want to assure parents and our community that this is not an experiment or passing fad. Great classroom instruction requires data analysis, collaboration, and time for our teachers.
Since the late 1990s, experts and researchers have espoused the importance of teacher collaboration. Doug Reeves encouraged this through the data team process, Rick Dufour encouraged this through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and now the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education supports and promotes collaboration through the Missouri Model District (MMD) program. Sikeston is participating in the MMD with DESE. Scheduled and consistent collaboration time has been shown to improve student academic performance and improve teacher efficacy. (McClure, 2019)
Finding time to consistently and effectively collaborate has been a constant struggle in school districts. Several local school districts such as Cape Girardeau and Jackson utilize a late start or early release to provide consistent time for teachers to collaborate and analyze data. I have had the benefit of working in several school districts that have utilized late start or early release since the 2000s. Many school districts throughout Missouri have an early release or late start time when the time is unable to be built into the school day due to a limited number of teachers. (Harper, 2018).
In an effort to address the needs of our community regarding childcare, we have partnered with the YMCA and our school district will be providing extended learning opportunities for a limited number of students from grades K-6. We will release more details regarding the extended learning time and additional after school opportunities for early release days in the month of March.
We are concerned about the needs of our parents and families and have made an effort to provide some options. We are also concerned about student performance and I know we all want our students and staff to excel. I’m certain there will be continued questions regarding the 90-minute early release and I am open to address the concerns and questions caused by this change. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions. You may call my office at 573-472-2581 or email me at trobinson@spsr6.org.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tony Robinson
Superintendent of Sikeston R-6 Schools
#WeAreSikeston
Harper, A.(2018, February 1). Effective teacher collaboration requires time and focus. Retrieved
February 12, 2020 from Education Dive
McCluer, C.(2019, February 12). The benefits of teacher collaboration: essentials on education
data and research analysis. Retrieved February 12, 2020 from
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The Sikeston R-6 Board of Education approved the calendar committee’s recommendations for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school calendars. This included early release Wednesdays which will allow for data analysis and staff collaboration beginning next school year. Conversations with employees and administrators, results from the parent/guardian survey, and the need for collaboration, analysis, and student interventions all went into making this decision.
We do understand that this could cause issues with pick up or child care, but we have made it our goal as the school district to address the inconveniences this may cause to parents/guardians. We have plans in place and are still working to add more options before the next school year. Some of these options were presented to parents/guardians last week, but we will provide more information in the weeks to come.
Please understand, our first goal is always to focus on our students and their academic achievements. We know that change in our school schedules does not come without inconvenience. However, we will attempt to provide options to any parent/guardian who reaches out to us.
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Dear Parents/Guardians,
This school year has provided us the opportunity to examine how and when our staff are able to collaborate, analyze data, and respond to student needs. As we focus on improving student academic performance, we believe it is necessary to provide our staff with weekly early release days to do so.
Weekly release is a research based best practice which allows teachers and administrators time to work together each week in a structured manner. Teachers would meet in content grade level/departmental teams to focus on data analysis, instructional practices, innovation, and responding to student learning needs. Facilitating this process through collaborative time would help teachers determine and effectively respond to the needs of students on a weekly basis.
Early Release Logistics
Wednesday would be the proposed early release day each week.
Students will be dismissed to buses, parent/guardian pick-up, and walking according to the weekly early release schedule below.
- Pre-K to Kindergarten – 2:15pm
- Elementary – 2:00pm
- 5th and 6th Center – 1:20pm
- 7th and 8th Center – 1:40pm
- Senior High and SCTC – 1:20pm
- Alt Center – 12:15pm
Students participating in extra‐curricular or co‐curricular activities who need to stay after school would be supervised by school staff until the conclusion of collaborative time. At that time, the students would be released to participate in their activities.
After Care and Extended Learning Options
- After Care
- The YMCA will provide special rates for parents/guardians on early release Wednesdays.
- Parents/guardians may contact Brandy Johnson for more information at 573-472-9622.
- Extended Learning
- Pre-K & Kindergarten through 6th Grade will provide options for remediation and extended learning for a limited number of students. Information on how students will be considered for extended learning will be provided if and when these proposed changes are approved by the Board of Education.
- All students participating in extended learning would be expected to leave by bus, parent/guardian pick-up, or walk at the same time as a regular school day dismissal.
Thank you for taking the time to read this information on the proposed changes to the 2020-2021 school calendar. Please take a very short survey, which will provide us information on how these proposed changes could affect our families here in our school district. Survey ended 2/9/2020