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The WakeEd blog is devoted to discussing and answering questions about the major issues facing the Wake County school system as it prepares to undergo historic changes. Will the new school board scrap the diversity policy in favor of neighborhood schools? Will year-round schools be converted back to a traditional calendar? How will the new board respond to growth and the school construction program?

WakeEd is maintained by The News & Observer's Wake schools reporter, T. Keung Hui. While Keung posts information and analysis on the issues, keep us posted on your suggestions, questions, tips and what you're doing to cope with the changes in Wake's schools.

Balking at Fridays for early dismissals

Submitted by KeungHui on 03/26/2009 - 16:13

Could Wake pick Friday as the day to release classes one hour early each week to increase planning time for teachers?

Wake could pick Friday or any other weekday it wanted as part of a plan that's expected to be implemented for the 2009-10 school year. Fridays would certainly be a popular choice with parents.

But Jennifer Lanane, president of the Wake chapter of the N.C. Association of Educators, said it would be a "deal breaker" if Fridays were chosen.

Lanane said it would be bad for teacher morale for kids to get out early on Friday but still expect staff to stay until 4 p.m. for the planning meetings.

Here's a quick recap of the proposal that was given preliminary approval by the school board this week. A final vote is expected Tuesday.

The plan is to expand the school day by 10 minutes. Most schools would probably add it to the end of the day but the details haven't been worked out yet.

The extra 10 minutes a day would add 30 hours of instructional time to the school year, enough to allow for more planning time and to stay above the state requirement of 1,000 hours a year.

Elementary and middle school would get two more half days, called early release days, each school year. Teachers would use the six early release days a year for planning time.

Teachers at all levels, including high school, would also get more planning time from meeting for an hour every week. This would come from dismissing classes one hour early on the same day each week.

Lanane served on the committee of teachers, parents and administrators that developed the recommendations to increase planning time. She said they had a lot of discussion as to what day of the week should be used for the weekly early dismissals.

Lanane said she made it clear to other committee members that Fridays were not an acceptable option. She said the principals on the committee agreed with her.

Lanane said Thursdays may also be a bad day as well. She said a day earlier in the week such as Tuesdays might be better.

It hasn't been announced yet which weekday will be used.

Lanane said the same reason would apply for not having the early release days on Fridays. Currently, they're held on Thursdays.

Comments

Fridays, Please!

Wed, 04/01/2009 - 15:57 — fran66

Why would the morale of the teachers be upset if they had to stay late on Fridays. Don't they already stay late on Fridays????

Alien ideas

Sun, 03/29/2009 - 06:10 — AngelaW

Published: Mar 27, 2009 10:56 AM Modified: Mar 27, 2009 11:17 AM

Alien ideas

Regarding the March 25 article “Wake schools may shorten a day”--

Star Trek had it all wrong. The Borg is not out there; it lives among us on the Wake County school board. All shall be assimilated or destroyed in the process. Have board members actually thought about what it means to end school early one day each week?

I know many parents who strive to arrange their jobs to be there when a child gets out of school. Not all can be so lucky, and it often requires financial sacrifice. I do my best to balance my job, supporting my family and my children's schedules. I need the school board to support this, not sabotage it.

To top it off, the bizarre schedule suggestion was coupled with another scheme equally atrocious — adding more early release days to the calendar. These are days that meet the check list requirements of X number of days and hours physically in school but that negate the educational value of those very days. The children are excited, and the school rushes to cram in lunch for all students in a shortened time frame. I implore the board not to implement these misguided ideas.

Deborah Hutchings

Apex

Calendar and Holidays

Mon, 03/30/2009 - 14:12 — RMC10

I saw from my child's Friday folder that Memorial Day will not be a school holiday this year. What'z up with that? Let's see we all get Martin Luther King day off (and there'd be an uprising if they weren't), but for Memorial Day - no Holiday! This is a joke! $crew over the parents again!Is this for diversity also - seems like everything is.

No Holiday for YR Tracks 1, 3, and 4 it looks like.

Ridiculous!!!!

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 15:31 — momof2goodboys

Ridiculous is the only word I can think of to describe this whole thing. Is there no one in the state public education system or somewhere that can see how stupic this is and can step in and stop it? If it was indeed to help the students, what difference would it make if it's Friday? This is just another thing that makes most of the whole school board look like a demented circus! How can we even try to take anything they say seriously? This goes for so much of what they are trying to shove down our throats!

Unbelievable

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 09:15 — new876

What in the world is going on? She says that it will be a dealbreaker if Friday is picked as the date....well then let it be a deal breaker. If this crazy idea goes forward, Friday is the only day that would make sense for parents and children. Who is this Jennifer Lanane and how did she get all this power to be able to dictate this idea and then have the nerve to say which day can and can't be chosen? How about this...do the planning work over the weekend. That is when I do mine and I stay at work well past 4 on Fridays.

So, let's get this straight

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 05:10 — rr77rr99

So, let's get this straight then, Jennifer Lanane (sp?) bought PLC time to the "committee" (what committee?) and now she's saying the teachers (who know nothing about the proposal in the first place) don't want it if it is on a Friday? What the ?

This is just all so nuts. Really nuts. Just like with the economy, all this nonsense keeps up, and one hand does not know who the other hand is slapping around and then there will be one big collapse. It's coming. And not just with new board elections. I don't think new board members can even save this system. It's built on misinformation and it's a mess.

Caught up in the "WCPPS Ponzi Scheme"... (not with money, but with our kids).... parents are figuring it all out and now FINALLY the teachers seem angry enough to open their mouths about it all too!

Deal Breaker?

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 21:18 — srhudson06

Can we call the whole stupid plan a deal breaker? I feel for the teachers on this. We know the school board does not care what parents want.

I cannot believe the

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 20:38 — raleighreader

I cannot believe the "dealbreaker" comment. I just have nothing else to say--I'm dumbfounded by this woman.

I wanted to post this again....to make my point!!!!

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 19:25 — dryeraseuser

RMC10, you have every right to feel the way you feel. I see your point and TOTALLY agree with it. There's no excuse for the board to throw out this asinine idea......which has become the NORM here in WCPSS.

As a teacher, PLEASE here me out....stay mad and fight it. I never knew that teachers wanted more time to work in PLC's. I don't have proof, but I know for sure, that the folks working up there on Wake Forest Rd....knows that the teachers HATE, I say HATE!!!!!!!! the word PLC.

It's nothing but a way, to make those folks shine brighter while the dogs (teachers) are out in the yards fighting a loosing battle. It is "set up" to "help" us. GIVE ME A BREAK. I am only one person and I CAN NOT SAVE THE WORLD. Parents today...I am talking about the good parents, that work, raise their children, teach them manners, provide for the children ARE getting run over coming and going by this system....in their way to PROVIDE the best educ. MOSTLY to provide for the children from parents that drop them out by the dozens, don't read with them, don't speak to them, cuss the teachers, threaten the teeachers, never show up or return phone calls to the teachers. THATS what you are dealing with. The stupid ideas like you are having to deal with...is what I have been dealing with my whole career. NOTHING makes sense....your "leaders" do not listen to you, do not support you, don't want to hear anything out of you...other than..."OH>..everything is just wonderful!"

Parents, you have to, you MUST fight this...I see nothing but worse things to come if this continues. I hope that in Oct. a light at the end of the tunnel can become brighter and closer. Teachers are drowning out there... I thank GOD for you supporters on this site on this very given topic here....THANK you, I told many of my teacher friends today, to visit this post...and read...and to remember that WE (the teachers) are not CRAZY...LOL This has been about the roughest year in a long time, and we have started to doubt our worth and even the value of our effectiveness....mainly due to our Leadership. Its almost like they want to ruin things. I just don't get it.

PLEASE NOTE, we the teachers didn't ask for this. Do you know when I heard about this wonderful plan??? Here on the N&O website. Not one email, not one agenda, not one message has been about this to the teachers. I read about this committee that created this idea????when in the world was it formed, who was told? who was offered the "privaledge" to be on it.

Granted I'm sure teachers "bitched" about their planning time, but we sure didn't think this was going to be the end result! It's almost like one of those things where they are sitting back and saying..."okay!....ya don't want to loose your planning time...we will give you more planning alright....and we can get back at the parents as well" LOL

As you can tell...from this...I am a very frustrated educator right now. And not one ounce of my frustration has to do with my sweet kids in my room, that I thank god to have everyday. They are why I am there...not my leaders, not the paperwork, not all the assessment and sure as heck not for PLC and meetings!

PLC....to a teacher.

Plan together

Set one goal

Stay on topic

Your way isn't the right way

The way you have been teaching isn't working and never has worked

You will be part of it

You will attend meetings

You will anaylze, test, retest, plot, graph , spreedsheet student data

You will work for the common goal

NOTICE... "you will" We have actually been spoken too rather rudely about this.

OH>>>>and you want me to "buy into it"...NOPE WCPSS...your approach to this...ruined it from day one. So lets drop it and actually get onto TEACHING....OOPs I forgot...silly me....I'm not there to teach.....hehe

speaking out

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 18:56 — louiselee44

I'm doubting that NCAE is representing the majority of their Wake Co. members, and it certainly isn't the first time.

Speaking from experience, teachers (sadly enough) have to think twice about speaking out on things. If there is a way for an accurate and anonymous "survey" to be taken, it sure would be nice. But it needs to be done now...

In the meantime, there is safety in numbers - I say blast emails, calls, etc. to the local NCAE chapter, and be vocal in any other way you can think of! Once this is done, I doubt they will ever take that time back off.

Urgh! I am a teacher and I

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 18:44 — amedinaoh

Urgh! I am a teacher and I bet 90% of teachers at my school have NO CLUE this is being considered. I do NOT want this because I can bet the mornings I come in early for PLC's (currently) will not be "done away with" once this is in place. It will be filled with ANOTHER meeting. I would be fine with Friday planning by the way. It is not a deal breaker. AHHH! Frustrated!

Watch what you wish

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 19:19 — dryeraseuser

Watch what you wish for...if it were really for planning for something that would actually help us, and allow us to work in the room, on things that matter....YES I am for it. But don't take time from me and THEN inforce weekly PLC meetings, and this is what its going to be!

However, you do have a VERY GOOD point, if this passes....then no other time during the week should be allowed to be taken with PLC......ONLY this one day!

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!!!!!!

I don't like the "spin" on this at all. Making the teachers out to be the ones that wanted/requested this. THAT's a bold face LIE!!!

Speak your mind

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 18:40 — Sideburns

http://www.wakencae.org/president.shtml

Jennifer Lanane is on full-time release from the Wake County Public Schools. She was a first grade teacher at Holly Springs Elementary School prior to her election as president of Wake NCAE. Her term of office is July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2010. She may be reached at 919-782-8908 or wakepresident@bellsouth.net .

Hold on. Lanane is the one

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 18:36 — Apexter

Hold on. Lanane is the one who claims that this is so necessary, even though it causes a decrease in instructional time for our kids, disrupts the uniformity of the daily schedule, will cause kids to get up earlier, and forces families to deal with different child care schedules during the week. This is something that she asked for, to benefit HER group.

Now she's crying "Oh, but if it's on THIS day it's a deal breaker"? Well, then let's just break the deal. It obviously wasn't as important to her as she claimed.

whatever

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 17:50 — Sideburns

If this planning time is so important, why wouldn't teachers buy in...regardless of the details? Maybe the teachers don't really want/need this additional time? (just a guess)

I'm disgusted at Lanane's comments about teacher morale. Honestly, why would teachers feel any differently if their students left early on Fridays rather than on a Tuesday? It's all about more planning time, right? Yeah, right.

As a respected teacher who

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 17:16 — concernedteacher

As a respected teacher who has many advanced degrees in the field in which I teach, I can assure you that most teachers view the imposed PLCs as "purely ludicrous crap." It forces those teachers who perform at high standards to be responsible for carrying, pulling or shoving other teachers who can't or won't perform in the classroom. Only in a few instances and disciplines do the PLCs have a salutary impact. The county should get out of the way of the teachers who are highly effective and deal individually with those who are not. Quite frankly, there would be much work to keep them busy if that is where they directed their efforts. Nevertheless, there is a concerted effort well underway to micro-manage what transpires in the classroom by WCPSS central office, not to improve the quality of education, but to domineer over it while justifying the multitude of superfluous jobs within the county office. Whether they intend to or not they are destroying any incentive for innovative teachers to retain their enthusiasm for the PROFESSION. Cut the staff at the county office by half and you will immediately see an improvement in teacher and student morale and performance. Additionally, those over-bloated salary savings from the county office, beginning with the superintendant's, might then be directed to more carefully chosen resources that actually do serve the interests of our students and schools.

Thank you fellow

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 17:50 — dryeraseuser

Thank you fellow educator! Your reasoning shows that you use your common sense.

I'm glad to see more and more teachers voice their opinions, granted they have to be "private" on a blog, but hopefully the parents that read these blogs will spread the word and hopefully teachers like myself and you, etc. can spread the word as well.

The issues that this board and Admin. in WCPSS, needs to be exposed.

AND....stop using US...as their tool to get what THEY want.

THEY never listen to us and never truly care about us in the first place.

Starting with cleaning house up on Wake Forest Rd...would be the best thing and the most effective start!Then, and only then, can the real, true, dedicated teachers like us can get on and TEACH the children we have. I'm so bummed out and worn out by the meetings, the discussions, the going around in circles, the charting, the planning, the analyzing,etc. that goes on. Just think of all the actual REAL planning and teaching could take place by dropping all of the useless programs and paperwork.

Keep the faith: Our

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 18:29 — concernedteacher

Keep the faith: Our students are worth it. Remember, a treasured English songwriter once insisted rather emphatically that "time wounds all heels." Education can go on without them, it cannot without us. I do not recall Socrates attending a PLC or worrying about an imposed county-wide pacing scheme or an interpretation and dictation of his curricula by an imperious administrative hierarchy of sycophant nitwits.

You know, I'm disgusted

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 18:03 — dryeraseuser

You know, I'm disgusted too!

To think, a "deal breaker" would be used. They haven't even asked our opinion on this.

All you would have to do is say...."Do you want more planning for your PLC?"

Teacher..."Absolutely NOT" I don't want a free hour to work on that!

NOTICE...there's no proof that teachers would agree with it, EVERYONE knows not to ask us....because they know the response .

The leaders in WCPSS don't want to know....because they do not care about what the teachers really need!

Teachers do not want

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 17:57 — dryeraseuser

Teachers do not want this.

Just as soon as I saw the word...PLC...I said'OH LORD!", they are really going to hit us up hard with it now.

It isn't anything to do with what we want, WCPSS is trying to shove PLC down our throats...and this is the only way to make it worse for us.

Parents....TEACHERS do not want this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What deal?

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 17:12 — Sideburns

Who's running the show around here? Deal breaker? What is Jennifer Lanane going to do if the Board chooses Friday? Not support the additional planning time? Maybe she should have thought about teacher morale when they forced YR on 22 schools.

hmmm, deal breaker, I am

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 03:16 — AngelaW

hmmm, deal breaker, I am reminded of a comment I read recently referring to Burger King and wanting to "have it your way", this strikes me as EXACTLY what this Jennifer Lanane is looking for.....can anyone even take this school system and it's cronies seriously any more? Other than the fact that they seriously $crew with thousand of families as they stir the pot.

This past week alone has been a steam train running totally out of control, they are trying to jam every dumba$$, useless agenda in before four of them are out the door!

bell schedules, extra time, less time, economic hurricanes, cutting programs to help struggling students, refusing to re-visit MYR, a known money waster, and the list goes on and on....

Angela, you hit the nail on

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 15:57 — dryeraseuser

Angela, you hit the nail on the head!

You are correct! The leaders and the board of this county are mad that their stupidity is out in the open. They know in Oct. things will change no matter who wins. So, they are being the "immature" adults in this situation and try to as you said "$crew" every parent and teacher before their time expires!

This definately has been a rough week, with the insane comments, plans, voting, and decisions coming out of Wake Forest Rd.

They need teacher buy in to

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 17:21 — KeungHui (author)

They need teacher buy in to make this work. If Lanane signals less than enthusiastic support then you could have problems from the rank and file implementing the PLC time.

No payoff--no buy in

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 17:56 — DrActualFactual

If HS teachers have to teach an extra 10 min. a day but never get the early release day for the planning why would they buy in? No advantage to them that I can see. They are banking hours they don't get to cash in. In fact, Panther Creek didn't take the last early release day that other HS took, not sure why, but my kids were in while others were out.

High schools wouldn't

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 08:42 — KeungHui (author)

High schools wouldn't necessarily get more early release days. But they'd still get the weekly one-hour early dismissal.

AP Courses would get shortened?

Fri, 03/27/2009 - 11:33 — DrActualFactual

Honest question--I don't see how this could work if you have a student who doubles up on math, science, language, etc. and doesn't have a "fluff" class scheduled at the end of the day to miss instructional time. How do they determine which class gets the shortened time unless they shorten each class the same amount or rotate class schedule days which I don't think would be doable with the enrollment we have at the HS level. The only way I speculate this could work is one week period 1 is 60 min. shorter, following week period 2 is 60 min. shorter, etc. Can this work with AP-type course?

Follow up question please?

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 16:58 — DrActualFactual

Keung, does this mean that parents will have their HS students in school due to no early release but will have MS and ES kids getting early release? Just want to make sure that I fully understand your reply. Parents will have to incur additional time and expense for care of younger ones but do not gain family time all together as older one remains in school---correct?

It looks like it. But we're

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 17:07 — KeungHui (author)

It looks like it. But we're talking about 6 early release days a year for elemenrary and middle schools.

Bad for teacher morale?

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 16:44 — ExplorisMSParent

Bad for teacher morale? She's kidding, right? What about parent morale?

For the record, I support extending the school day and adding the extra half-days, because I know how valuable that time will be to the teachers. With that said, however, compromise is the name of the game here. If you're asking for something, you have to be willing to give something.

Question for Keung

Thu, 03/26/2009 - 16:30 — DrActualFactual

You said Elem. and MS students get 2 more early release days out of this plan--do high schools put in the time but not get early release days? With all the Monday holidays wouldn't a Tuesday off present the same issue as a Friday off as far as teacher no-shows or nonparticipation from students or faculty.

Balking at Fridays for early dismissals

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