A noticeable change is taking place this school year throughout the Hermitage School District, as every Wednesday school will be dismissed one hour earlier than the typical day.
In the official calendar released Sunday, the school district says that they are implementing “a designated Professional Learning Community(PLC) time” on Wednesday afternoons. This hour without students in the classroom is planned to all staff to go over in details each individual students’ progress. The staff aim to “identify learning struggles,” as well as “plan for appropriate interventions to maximize learning, analyze available student data, collaborate with other teachers to improve learning, and make decisions about how to move learning forward.”
The District also addressed concerns parents might have about what students will be doing during this hour after early Wednesday dismissal. The District says that if parents notify the school, children will be able to leave by driving, walking, or ridesharing. Parents who wish to pick up their child can do so as in any other regular length school day, just one hour earlier.
However, for parents who are unable to pick their child up an hour early and do not want their student to leave campus, a plan is in place to supervise every student throughout that hour on Wednesdays. “No student will be forced to leave school and students will be engaged in other activities, like enrichment activities,” says the District. Those activities will include things like STEAM projects, arts and crafts, robotics, games, walking, kickball, basketball, soccer, as well as other physical activities.
For students who’s parents wish for them to stay at school during that PLC time on Wednesdays, buses will run at the same time as every other day of the week.
Wedensday’s bell schedule will be modified by five minutes to make sure students are able to attend their regular daily subjects. Lunch, time between classes, and recess will also be slightly changed to meet the Wednesday dismissal time.
The impact on sports practices will not be felt according to the District. Coaches will be taking part in the PLC time along with the other teaching staff. “No practices will be held during this time, as our coaches are teachers first and will be engaged in professional learning,” says the District statement. “Practices will occur after school as scheduled by the coaches, as with any other day/time.”
In regards to the purpose of the PLC time on Wednesdays for teachers and staff, the district says it feels that this “time for our teachers will improve student learning by ensuring that learning is maximized when students are in class at all other times.”
The District also seems extended potential benefits to allowing parents to have children out of school an hour earlier on Wednesdays. They hope parents take advantage of the opportunity to schedule doctors and dentists appointments.
The District went on to say they appreciate parents’ and guardians’ “cooperation with us as we work to improve learning and student success every single day.”
After the school year the District plans on evaluating how the Wednesday early dismissal went, before deciding on whether to continue it into the next school year.
For those with questions, you can contact the Superintent Dr. Tracy Tucker’s Office at 870-463-2246.