BUCKFIELD – SAD 39 Superintendent Richard Colpitts is proposing a Monday-to-Thursday school week to give some students and teachers Fridays to work on state learning standards.
The current five-day schedule does not allow time for students needing extra help to meet those standards, he said, and assessments required by the state has left many teachers feeling “absolutely overwhelmed.”
Colpitts presented the plan to school directors this week. If enacted, it will be the first in the state.
The plan would lengthen the school day by 90 minutes, for a total of 7 hours and 50 minutes Monday through Thursday. School would be in session for 3 hours Friday mornings, though only students in need of remedial work would be required to attend.
Colpitts said only a third of the staff would be assigned to remedial teaching duties on any given Friday. The remainder of the staff would use the time to accomplish some of the extra work state standards create.
Fridays may also be used to provide a gifted-and-talented program.
The school day currently begins at 7:55 a.m. and ends at 2:15 p.m, for a total of 1,083 student hours in the school year. Under the proposed schedule, school would begin at 8 a.m. and end at 3:45 p.m. for a total of 1,085 hours a year. Fridays would add 122.5 hours of instruction time.
The change would also increase the number of teacher hours by about 20 each year.
Colpitts submitted his proposal to the state commissioner of education last month and is still awaiting a review by the District Attorney’s Office to establish the legality of the plan. He presented the plan to teachers Thursday, and will develop ways to receive feedback from parents and community members later this month.
Although board members had many concerns about the alternative schedule, most applauded Colpitts for his effort and initiative in developing the plan.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that you’re willing to look outside the box,” said Lana Pratt of Sumner.
Stacey Raymond of Buckfield, echoed that sentiment.
“Even if this doesn’t come to fruition,” she said, “it’s exciting to be thinking in different ways.”
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