In an effort to provide teachers with additional planning time, Greeley-Evans School District 6 will institute a one-hour late start on Mondays for kindergarten through 12th grade students beginning with the 2021-22 school year.
The delayed starts will be in place on 27 Mondays next year, meaning students will report to their buildings one hour later than usual on those days while giving teachers additional time for planning, meetings, collaboration and professional development.
District 6 Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Annette Overton said the late-start concept originated with teachers, who’ve been happy with having additional planning time on Wednesday afternoons this semester when the district has an early-release day.
“This is in effect to get time back for teachers,” Overton said Monday afternoon. “The district was trying to find time to support teacher planning. We were looking for time to provide teachers time to support student learning.”
Overton presented information on the late-start plan Monday afternoon during a District 6 board of education work session at the administration building on 9th Avenue.
District 6 Superintendent Deirdre Pilch said the district did not need board approval to implement the late-start plan, but Pilch said she wanted feedback from board members.
“It seems like a real win for students and teachers,” board president Michael Mathews said.
Under the late-start proposal, elementary schools will begin at 8:50 a.m., middle schools at 9:30 and high schools at 9 a.m.
Staff will report to schools at their usual time on those late-start Mondays. Eleven of the 27 weeks of the late starts will be designated for building professional development. These morning sessions will be left for the building staff to determine but could include staff meetings, team meetings, teacher collaboration or professional development. The other 16 weeks will be set for individual teacher planning.
Students who are dropped off at schools prior to the late start will have access to their buildings and supervision will be available from district staff – either classified staff or teachers on a rotating basis.
Overton said according to the in March, the late-start Mondays will come out to about one per week with the exception of November when there will be two.
“I think itap important for elementary teachers to have equitable planning time,” board member Terri Pappas said.
The proposal was crafted by a committee, a task force, including: principals, Greeley Education Association president Andi Lee, Overton, assistant superintendent of academic achievement Stacie Datteri, assistant superintendent of secondary schools Anthony Asmus and assistant superintendent for elementary and K-8 leadership Wes Tuttle.
Overton said the proposal turned out to be a compromise among ideas from consulted parties. While high school staffs generally preferred late-start times, feedback from elementary school buildings drifted toward early dismissal to accommodate the teacher prep time.
“Everyone wanted this to be a system-wide approach,” Overton said. “We landed on the hour because it was easiest for parents, and for staff to have the time to get something done.”
