November 11, 2004
Bridgewater
Raynham
Easton
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West Bridgewater
Massachusetts
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Massachusetts
USA
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Joseph Gillis Jr.
You can do something!
With concern about the length of the day at B-R High School, there are a couple of ideas or questions about the situation. The contract with the Teachers stipulates that the length of the day cannot exceed 6 hours and 50 minutes; start no earlier than 7:20; end no later than 3:35; minimum of 40 minutes set aside for preparation (although desired is 45 minutes). The State requires High School students to take a minimum of 990 classroom hours, or "Time on Learning". B-R High School is in session from 7:20 am to 1:11 pm.
(a) Why was 52 minutes removed from the class day? In theory, only 40 minutes may have had to be lost to allow for the 40 minute minimum preparation time? Those additional 12 minutes equate to 36 additional hours of "Time on Learning". To accomplish this, about 2 minutes could be added to each class period.
(b) Looking at the issue a different way... Start time is set at 7:20. If teachers can only work 6:50 for a day, then the end of the day must be by 2:10. The 40 minute mandated preparation time would back the classroom ending time to 1:30. Ending at 1:30 would mean an additional 19 minutes of educational time per day, or 57 more hours over the year for "Time on Learning". To accomplish this, about 3-4 minutes would be added to each class period.
Perhaps there are some other issues missing from these analyses. However, if the goal is to provide the maximum educational experience for the students, than we should be looking at options that provide the maximum classroom time for the students.
I have similar questions about the length of school day at other schools, but since the High School is "in the news" because of concerns about meeting State Requirements, I have only included data on the High School.
I hope to find out more about this issue in the coming days. As new information is understood - including any that may refute these ideas - they will be posted. Perhaps these two points are incorrect, or could not work for some reason. Or, maybe one or both of these issues will spur further discussion to improve the education and "Time on Learning" for the High School Students.
