Lessons from longer school day rejection?
How could such a well-intentioned concept unravel the way it did?
It’s a question worth asking after the Billerica School Committee voted 3-2 last week against extending the district’s elementary and middle school days by 30 minutes.
A result that prompted cheering and applause from those gathered in the Buck Auditorium at Town Hall.
Committee members Annette Famolare, Michael Domina and Cheri Gargalianos voted against the measure, while Chair Mark Efstratiou and member John Kleschinsky voted in favor.
While contention surrounding the issue of longer school days had been building since the fall, the main focus of those who spoke at the Feb. 28 meeting in opposition centered on the timing of a letter sent by Superintendent of Schools Tim Piwowar on Friday, just days before Tuesday’s vote.
Though the letter was certainly last- minute, it was preceded by multiple public forums and a survey issued to parents and faculty members in January.
One survey question asked participants their opinions on a range of “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree” on whether the School Committee should vote to extend the school days for preschool, middle school and elementary school.
Of those who responded, 58.1% said they disagreed with extending the preschool day with 35.1% in favor; 45.3% said they disagreed with extending the elementary school day with 35.1% in favor; and 43.9% said they disagreed with extending the middle school day with 42.3% in favor.
Piwowar’s letter ref lected respondents’ clear opposition to longer preschool days by omitting that segment from his proposal.
His missive only included additional 30 minutes to the middle and elementary school days.
That extra half hour, dubbed a “WIN Block”
( What I Need), would allow students to receive one- onone assistance with their academic and social- emotional needs.
Some in the audience indicated they were not necessarily against the idea of expanding the school day, but were upset at how the district has handled the whole process.
Another point of contention: the superintendent’s plan also would increase the number of early- release days for elementary schools to 20 per school year, which would require a child- care program for students until the beginning of the Boys & Girls Club’s “Fun Club” later in the afternoon.
Piwowar proposed that period would be staffed by the district’s paraprofessionals, a sticking point among that group in attendance at the meeting, many of whom likened the plan to babysitting.
It’s true that while the concept of a slightly longer school day seems reasonable, misgivings about its implementation surfaced soon after the superintendent first floated the idea.
As reported by the newspaper in October, a new union contract stipulated that as of next year, teachers in the school system’s elementary and middle schools would work seven- hour days instead of the previous sixand- a- half.
With the COVID
19- caused disruption to inperson learning over the past few years, we’d assume that most parents would applaud the availability of another half hour of instruction time.
One could make the case that the additional time with other children would be both socially and educationally beneficial.
So, the ambivalent survey results concerning extending elementary and middleschool days wasn’t the reaction we’d have expected.
Perhaps the way this whole process has played out tainted perceptions that on its face, appeared a positive development for students and parents.
Certainly, there are other practical considerations that go along with an extended school day.
That added time would necessitate changes to busing schedules, potentially causing a domino effect that couldn’t be accommodated.
But considering that the superintendent stated at the outset of this process that he intended to involve all stakeholders in discussions concerning this potential time change, we’re left wondering how he could have been so out of touch with the sentiments of those in attendance at Town Hall that night.