At first blush I thought it was a kid messing with an old man's mind. I the following Wednesday I observed the same deal with kids walking by my house on their way home. I had to get to the bottom of this and fired off an email to the Caldwell School District Office yesterday afternoon. I got a prompt reply from Mr. Caleb Shore, the webmaster at Caldwell School District Office. Here is what Mr. Shore said about the early out:
"Correct, Wednesday is an early release for students. We are using this time for professional development and training."
The Guardian also learned that Nampa is now into their second year of the 4.5 day work schedule for teachers. Questions abound about how teachers are going to get done what they are expected to accomplish with the shortened work week. It also raises the question of why not go to a 4-day week like what is done in other school districts to save money on all manner of things from bussing costs, heating and power costs etc.
If anyone knows more about this, please do leave a comment below.
I would like to know the accountability in all of this. What's to say teachers don't just go out the door with students at the end of the half day of classes every Wednesday. I would like to see something that would hold teachers accountable for all this time off. Teachers make $25-$40 per hour are patrons getting value for this paid time off?
ReplyDeleteIn reading the previous comment making the teachers accountable for the Caldwell School District 4.5 school week is not fair to the teachers. We must remember that the teachers do not make the rules and policies such as the 4.5 day a week school attendance. It is the applicable School District, they are the ones which we should hold accountable. The fact that the justification is to use the time for professional development and training, brings the question of what is the hiring requirements and qualifications which a persons applying for a teaching position must have? It must be very minimum since the school district is taking time which can be utilized teaching the children, and using it for professional development and training of their employed teaching staff which is a poor judgement call by the Caldwell School District. I can understand every school district within the United States does utilizes early release days for administrative functions, and these half days maybe once every several months not every week. Lets hear the true reason why the Caldwell School District is implementing the 4.5 school week. The need for weekly professional development and training reflects poor qualifications of personnel which are hired to teach our children.
ReplyDeleteGood after noon Paul I am glad to see you are reviving your blog. I look forward to some intelligent discussion of local issues.
ReplyDeleteIn reading the previous comment making the teachers accountable for the Caldwell School District 4.5 school week is not fair to the teachers. We must remember that the teachers do not make the rules and policies such as the 4.5 day a week school attendance. It is the applicable School District, they are the ones which we should hold accountable. The fact that the justification is to use the time for professional development and training, brings the question of what is the hiring requirements and qualifications which a persons applying for a teaching position must have? It must be very minimum since the school district is taking time which can be utilized teaching the children, and using it for professional development and training of their employed teaching staff which is a poor judgement call by the Caldwell School District. I can understand every school district within the United States does utilizes early release days for administrative functions, and these half days maybe once every several months not every week. Lets hear the true reason why the Caldwell School District is implementing the 4.5 school week. The need for weekly professional development and training reflects poor qualifications of personnel which are hired to teach our children.
ReplyDelete